National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir has issued an unusual ultimatum to Israel Police after public outrage over violent clashes on Highway 4, where stun grenades were reportedly fired directly at protesters during demonstrations blocking the road. He said the scenes from recent incidents went beyond accepted procedure.
In a formal post on his X account, Ben Gvir said that “recently there has been an increase in incidents in which stun grenades were used against civilian populations not in accordance with the procedures,” referring to the growing criticism of police conduct against people blocking routes. He said he would hold an urgent discussion on the matter.
Ben Gvir said the goal of the meeting would be to make sure stun grenades are used only in exceptional cases and in line with police guidelines. He then warned police commanders that if they do not strictly limit use of the weapon, he will move to remove it from field operations altogether.
“If the use is not limited to these cases, there will be no stun grenades in the police,” he wrote, making clear that the ministry is considering a sweeping operational restriction if the current practice continues.
