Police are examining the possible involvement of Yitzhak Kroizer, a lawmaker from National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir's Otzma Yehudit party, and the party's director-general, Itiel Neiman, in a violent confrontation with settlers that left three police officers injured in the West Bank settlement of Mitzpe Yericho about a week and a half ago.
Investigators are reviewing evidence from the incident to determine the extent of the two men's involvement. Once the review is completed, Kroizer and Neiman could be summoned for questioning or asked to provide witness statements.
Yitzhak Kroizer, a lawmaker from National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir's Otzma Yehudit party
(Photo: Alex Kolomoisky)
The incident, first revealed by ynet, occurred during a police operation in Mitzpe Yericho. Three officers were injured in clashes with settlers, including a member of the Yasam riot police unit who suffered a broken nose and a patrol officer who broke his arm. A police detectives' vehicle was also damaged with a knife.
The confrontation began when a team of detectives from the Israel Police's West Bank District arrived in Mitzpe Yericho to arrest a suspect who had been driving a vehicle believed to have been involved in an assault earlier that day. Attempting to evade arrest, the suspect fled toward an area where a memorial service was taking place.
As officers attempted to apprehend him, a confrontation erupted between police and settlers attending the service. According to police sources, officers were assaulted during the ensuing turmoil.
Shortly after the clashes subsided, Ben-Gvir arrived at the scene. According to a police officer's testimony, the national security minister behaved aggressively and confrontationally, deliberately ignoring the police officers present.
Ben-Gvir denies the allegations, maintaining that he had arrived in the area to attend the memorial service and was merely on the sidelines of the confrontation.
The officer also testified that shouts of "You are Nazis" were directed at police during the incident.