Israeli Lawmaker to Be Questioned by Police Over Alleged Assault

Member of Knesset Yitzhak Kroizer is scheduled to be questioned by the Lahav 433 police unit on Sunday on suspicion of assaulting a police officer during a violent incident two weeks ago near Mitzpe Jericho. The incident occurred after a memorial service Kroizer attended. Kroizer claims he intervened to de-escalate a confrontation between police and bereaved families following the service, which then devolved into a brawl. He alleges that police officers attacked him, threw him to the ground, and pepper-sprayed him. Two officers were reportedly injured and taken to the hospital.

Following the incident, Kroizer attempted to file a complaint with the Police Investigations Department (Mahash) regarding the alleged police brutality, but his complaint was initially refused. He is expected to resubmit the complaint on Sunday. Meanwhile, the Attorney General's office has ordered Kroizer to be investigated under caution for allegedly assaulting police officers, with the investigation beginning today.

Kroizer has stated he will not seek parliamentary immunity and intends to cooperate with the investigation to expose what he calls "improper conduct" that prevented his complaint from being filed. "I will not be deterred by a gang of criminals trying to turn my standing up for my rights into a reason for a criminal investigation," Kroizer said. He further described the "severe injustice" not only as the alleged police violence but also the refusal to accept his complaint for nearly four hours.

Connecting the event to the upcoming elections, Kroizer suggested a "politically motivated" attempt to frame the victim as the suspect and intimidate an elected official through the legal system. "All those responsible will be held accountable," he declared.