Right-Wing Activists Challenge State Over Discriminatory Compensation for Protest Searches

Attorney Manasseh Yado from Honenu filed a petition to Israel's Supreme Court demanding the cancellation of a compensation agreement granted to left-wing protesters who underwent strip searches during demonstrations. The state agreed to pay 13 left-wing protesters a total of 624,000 shekels, amounting to 48,000 shekels each. Yado argues this amount is disproportionately high compared to right-wing protesters, who received about 10,000 shekels in similar cases, constituting unlawful discrimination.

The petition, submitted on behalf of several right-wing activists, claims that Honenu has long represented protesters subjected to invasive searches, with typical compensation settlements ranging from 10,000 to 15,000 shekels. The petitioners assert there is no justification for the significantly higher payments to left-wing protesters while right-wing and other sector protesters receive much lower sums for comparable circumstances. They request an interim injunction to halt the implementation of the compensation deal pending the court’s decision.

The petition states, "There is no justification and it is outrageous that left-wing protesters receive compensation three to four times higher than the precedent, while right-wing protesters or others receive only a quarter of that amount." The petition accuses the authorities of biased conduct influenced by political sympathies, violating principles of equality and fairness. Yado criticized the prosecution for abandoning its duty to protect police operational capacity, public funds, and the principle of equality, warning that this damages public trust in law enforcement and judicial consistency. He added that the compensation arrangement appears aimed at supporting left-wing protests against the right-wing government and deterring police responses to aggressive demonstrations targeting the prime minister.