Israeli court orders house arrest for driver filmed brandishing gun at ultra-Orthodox protesters

Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court ordered house arrest for a driver suspected of threatening protesters in an ultra-Orthodox anti-draft demonstration on Route 1. The incident happened on Wednesday, was filmed by one of the demonstrators, and led police to open an investigation and arrest the suspect late that night.

Police said the man was driving toward Tel Aviv when he got stuck in the protesters’ roadblock, then took his weapon out through the car window. During questioning at Harel police station, investigators found he possessed the gun without a license. In court, the police representative argued that the danger was obvious, saying that driving with a gun extended outward and aimed at protesters was “a dangerous act, to put it mildly.”

The suspect’s lawyer, Zachi Raz, said his client understood his conduct was unusual and that no real danger had been posed. “He did not have his finger on the trigger,” Raz said, adding that there was no current risk because the weapon had been taken away.

Judge Ariel Erlich nevertheless decided to release the driver to house arrest at his home in Geva Binyamin. In his ruling, he wrote that the alleged offense occurred “in a situation of tension and panic when law enforcement authorities do not provide a response,” while also saying the roadblock itself creates a serious hazard and “significant danger to the public.” Separately, police also arrested a taxi driver seen in another viral clip allegedly threatening protesters with a gun, but later released him after investigators concluded he had not held a weapon at all, only waved his hands. The Department for Internal Police Investigations also summoned a policeman seen kicking a protester during last week’s Route 4 protest, while National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir called for the dismissal of the Bnei Brak police station commander and Police Commissioner Daniel Levi sent him a letter of support.