Otzma Yehudit CEO Investigated for Extortion and Assaulting Police
Translated & summarized from Haaretz by baba
Ittiel Neeman, CEO of the Otzma Yehudit party, was investigated on suspicion of extortion and assaulting police officers during an incident in Mitzpe Yericho where a suspect escaped. Two officers were injured in the confrontation. Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir arrived at the scene and reportedly supported the crowd. The party claims the investigation is political persecution.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Otzma Yehudit CEO Ittiel Neeman investigated for extortion and assaulting police.
- A suspect escaped during the incident, and two police officers were injured.
- Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir arrived at the scene and reportedly sided with the crowd.
- MK Yitzhak Kroizer is also under suspicion for assaulting an officer in the same incident.
- Otzma Yehudit claims the investigation is politically motivated persecution.
Ittiel Neeman, the CEO of the Otzma Yehudit party, was questioned by Lahav 433 on Sunday on suspicion of involvement in an assault on police officers in the Mitzpe Yericho settlement. Police stated he is suspected of extortion, assaulting and obstructing a police officer, and interfering with an investigation. The incident, previously reported by Haaretz in October, involved a confrontation where police attempted to arrest a suspect. Neeman, who is also a candidate for Knesset, allegedly incited a crowd that blocked the police vehicle and demanded the suspect's release and the return of confiscated phones.
During the confrontation, two officers were injured; one sustained a broken nose, and the other had a cast on his hand due to a suspected fracture. The suspect who was arrested managed to escape amid the chaos. Following the incident, Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir arrived at the scene and reportedly sided with the crowd, accusing an officer of excessive force. Neeman is considered a close associate of Ben-Gvir and is the brother of Aviad Neeman, a resident of Mitzpe Yericho killed in Lebanon in October 2024, after whom a local synagogue is named.
Haaretz reported that police suspect both Neeman and MK Yitzhak Kroizer attacked officers. Kroizer, who was questioned last month on similar charges, claims he was the one attacked and was trying to de-escalate the situation. Police reportedly possess bodycam footage that allegedly strengthens the suspicion that Kroizer assaulted an officer, whose nose was broken during the confrontation. The police used pepper spray to disperse the crowd, which also affected some officers.
Otzma Yehudit issued a statement calling the investigation a "political persecution" by the Attorney General's office, aimed at harming the party. They criticized what they called selective enforcement, contrasting the swift investigations against their members with perceived delays in cases involving left-wing politicians.
Mentioned
The same event, reported separately by each outlet. Open a few to compare what different newsrooms emphasize — and what they leave out.
Left 1Centre 1Right 2Haredi 1
Not the same event — other stories that share this one’s people, places, or theme: background, reactions, and follow-ups.
