Police Close Case of Blind Man Beaten Over Guide Dog's Waste

Israeli police have closed a criminal investigation into the assault of a visually impaired man, Kokhavy Rafael Kokhav, who was beaten in a park near his home in Holon for failing to clean up after his guide dog. The attacker's identity remains unknown, nearly two months after the August 15 incident. Kokhav expressed his dismay to Ynet on October 8, stating, "It seems that blind people in Israel are not that important." He added that his friends in the blind community are "shocked" by the police's decision to close the case, emphasizing that this was not the first attack on a blind person but that he felt a "red line" had been crossed.

Kokhav reported that both the assault and the assailant were captured on surveillance cameras, but the police were unable to identify the suspect. He noted that the footage did not clearly show the severity of the blows or capture his cries. He also stated that bystanders did not intervene until he called the police himself. A neighbor later provided her contact information and agreed to testify, but Kokhav believes the police did not make sufficient efforts to find the attacker, suggesting they would have acted faster if the case involved vandalism by teenagers.

Recounting the attack, Kokhav explained he was in Gan HaAmitsim park with his guide dog around 6 a.m. when the dog defecated. As a blind person, he is exempt from cleaning up, but the assailant approached him from behind, demanding he clean it. When Kokhav explained his blindness, the man accused him of lying, became enraged, and proceeded to beat him, throwing dog feces from the park onto him and kicking him. Kokhav screamed and the assailant fled. He released his dog for fear it would also be attacked and called for help from bystanders, who he believes were afraid to intervene. He called the police three times, fearing the attacker's return and seeking someone to stay on the line with him.

The police, in response to accusations of inaction, stated that an investigation was immediately launched, involving extensive measures to identify the suspect, including witness testimonies and digital evidence. They claim the case was closed at this stage "after exhausting investigative possibilities" and that it will be reopened if new information emerges.