Five Eilat Police Officers Arrested for Alleged Assault on Man

Five police officers from the Eilat Special Patrol Unit (Yasam) have been arrested and are under investigation on suspicion of assaulting a man. The incident allegedly occurred after two women complained that the man had sexually harassed them on the promenade. According to the report, the officers encountered the man, who is 38 years old and part of the Hebrew community, and allegedly beat him, leaving him bleeding on a beach in Eilat. The man, who spoke to Ynet two months ago, stated that he believed he was going to die during the assault. He described being tackled to the ground, handcuffed at his hands and feet, and then taken to the hills where he was severely beaten, resulting in the loss of his front teeth and widespread injuries. He claims the officers left him alone, telling him to go home, and confiscated his phone, which was later returned. Paramedics found him using the phone as he was disoriented. He expressed hope that the officers would not continue in their roles and stated he is still experiencing fear.

At the time of the initial incident, the police stated that the officers approached the man following a complaint from two women about harassment. They claimed that the man did not comply with their instructions to move away and avoid contact, leading to his arrest and transport to a police vehicle. The police initially asserted that an investigation did not support claims of violent conduct by the officers, stating the man was released on the spot after the purpose of the arrest was fulfilled. However, the recent arrests indicate a shift in the investigation, with some of the arrested officers having participated in combat on October 7th.