The State Attorney’s Office filed an indictment Thursday against Assaf Israel Aryeh, 28, of Be'er Sheva, who allegedly photographed the home of former Meretz MK Mossi Raz and agreed to physically harm him in exchange for NIS 8,000. Aryeh is charged with conspiracy to commit a felony, destruction of evidence, possession of a knife and other offenses.
According to the indictment, filed by attorney Orad Shalev of the Central District Attorney’s Office, Aryeh contacted a man named Avi through Instagram. Avi presented himself as an activist in a right-wing organization looking for others to carry out missions “for the sake of saving the people.” After Aryeh expressed willingness to act, Avi asked him to print and distribute a leaflet, but Aryeh told him he had previously served prison sentences and could carry out “more serious jobs,” such as stabbing and arson.
Aryeh allegedly priced each of the actions — stabbing, setting fire to a vehicle and attacking a person with pepper spray — and even negotiated with Avi over the price and timing of payment. As part of the contact between the two, Aryeh agreed to commit an act of violence against former MK Raz in exchange for NIS 8,000. It was agreed that he would beat Raz or, alternatively, spray him with pepper spray, while filming his actions.
That same day, Aryeh traveled from Be'er Sheva to Lod, bought an operational phone, equipped himself with pepper spray and a knife, and left his personal phone with a friend to make it harder to identify him. He arrived in the city where Raz lives, photographed his home several times and sent the photos and videos to Avi using the operational phone. He later wrote to Avi that he would not physically harm Raz as planned, allegedly because police vehicles were nearby.
Ronen Bar
(Photo: Yair Sagi)
Days later, Avi asked Aryeh, in exchange for payment, to provide the address of former Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar. In return for carrying out the missions, Aryeh received a total of about $1,000 through a digital wallet. After carrying out his actions, the defendant smashed the operational phone and deleted his Telegram conversations with Avi in an effort to destroy evidence. He was arrested in Lod while carrying a knife.
In its request to keep Aryeh in custody until the end of legal proceedings, the prosecution cited his extensive criminal record. He has been convicted four times of offenses including violence, possession of a knife, threats, carrying a weapon and shooting, as well as multiple drug offenses, and has served three lengthy prison terms. In addition, he allegedly committed offenses while on probation from a previous sentence, and a separate indictment for drug offenses is pending against him.
Raz said: “I received notice from the prosecution that it filed an indictment against Assaf Israel Aryeh, who, for financial gain, photographed my home and undertook to harm me. I thank the Shin Bet, the police and the prosecution for their work. Violence will not deter me.”