Standby Unit Equipment Demanded Back After Activist's Dismissal
Translated & summarized from Kipa by baba
Members of the Tel Aviv standby unit are being asked to return operational equipment, including vests and helmets, provided by the "Loham Tzedek" association. The demand followed the dismissal of the association's head, Yoav Eliasi, from his role as unit commander. Eliasi claims the equipment belongs to his association, which purchased it with donations. Some volunteers are angered by the demand, viewing it as retribution for Eliasi's dismissal.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Tel Aviv standby unit members must return operational equipment provided by the "Loham Tzedek" association.
- The demand for equipment return followed the dismissal of association head Yoav Eliasi from his commander role.
- Eliasi claims the equipment was purchased with association funds and belongs to the organization.
- Some volunteers expressed anger, calling the demand a "revenge campaign" after Eliasi's dismissal.
- The "Loham Tzedek" association, led by Eliasi, has received over three million shekels in donations since 2023.
Members of the Tel Aviv district standby unit have been instructed to return operational equipment that was provided through the "Loham Tzedek" association, headed by right-wing activist Yoav Eliasi, also known as "HaTzel." The demand for the return of gear, including vests, helmets, and vehicles, came after Eliasi was dismissed as the unit's commander in August. His dismissal followed the exposure of recordings in which he claimed to be exploiting his police connections for a business he owned on Rothschild Boulevard in Tel Aviv. The equipment, which was made available to volunteers via the association, had been used by the unit with police knowledge until the demand for its return on the day of Eliasi's dismissal. The current commander of the standby unit has sent messages to the volunteers requesting the collection of green vests and helmets, stating, "There is no reason for us to continue chasing people, please respect this and finish it in the coming days."
Eliasi also contacted the volunteers, explaining that the association needed the equipment for inventory and serial number stamping, asserting that the gear was purchased with association funds and belongs to the association, not a donor. This demand has angered some volunteers, with one questioning the motive, calling it a "revenge campaign" against those who simply wanted to contribute. Another volunteer noted that they were previously asked to pose with the equipment to thank donors, and now it is being recalled.
Eliasi, an associate of National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, leads the "Loham Tzedek" association, which began operating in 2023. Official documents indicate that by the end of 2024, the association had received over three million shekels in donations and spent approximately two million shekels on aid for the needy and soldiers, equipment, food, and shopping vouchers. Attorney Ariel Atari, representing Eliasi, stated that the equipment was never donated to the volunteers or the police but was made available for the standby units' use and remains the property of the association. He added that a recent police directive allowing volunteers to use only police-issued equipment prompted the association's request to retrieve the gear for registration purposes. He also mentioned that after the process is complete, any fighter needing the equipment can re-sign for it personally. The police stated that standby units are equipped with operational gear and that they have no intention of dealing with any non-police equipment.
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