Israel Police Yassam unit officer Gal Segev and his subordinate, Refael Cohen, are ordered to make a NIS 4,000 compensatory payment to a right-wing protestor who the court ruled was hit by them, without justification.

Jerusalem Magistrate�s Court Justice David Mintz issued his ruling pertaining to a protest that was held on Highway 443, near Yishuv Hashmonaim, under the banner �continued settlement in Yosh�. According to the court case, protestor Nachum Greenblum was struck by Rafael Cohen, who is assigned to the police commando unit in the Shai District. Cohen�s superior officer, Gal Segev shouted at Greenblum, threatening to beat him to a pulp. The incident was captured on video and an official complaint was filed with the Justice Ministry�s police investigations unit, which recommended a criminal indictment against Cohen.

Simultaneously, a civil suit was filed against the policeman and his officer, filed with the Jerusalem court by attorney Benny Levine, who represents a Yosh human rights organization.

In its defense, the state maintained the victim did not suffer any damage and the case was just piggybacked to a number of cases filed by the human rights organization against police. The district attorney�s office referred to the videoed evidence as a trend, of trying to portray police in a poor light. The attorney general�s office also tried to reject the legitimacy of seeking a financial payment, stating it was not justifiable in such a case. The state also maintained that awarding a monetary settlement will encourage future incidents of increased provocation in the hope of compelling a policeman to �lose control� and act inappropriately with the goal of obtaining a monetary settlement.

Greenbaum in his response stated the state�s position may represent a new level of audacity towards supporting those who believe public servants are above criticism and their actions needn�t be justified to anyone, while the contrary should be true.

The court rejected the state�s case, ordering the policemen to make payment from their own funds to the defendant, now serving as an IDF soldier.

(Yechiel Spira � YWN Israel)