Israelis indicted after firing flares at PM home to be released on house arrest

The judge who presided over the hearing also said that there is no evidence of terrorism motives, according to the legal aid organization representing the four.

By EVE YOUNG DECEMBER 26, 2024 16:04

Behind the private residence of Benjamin Netanyahu in Caesarea calling for the resignation of the government. (photo credit: AMOS GIL)

Four Israelis indicted after firing flares in protest near Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Ceasarea residence will be released to house arrest, Haifa's District Court decided Thursday.  The judge who presided over the hearing also said that there is no evidence of terrorism motives, according to "Maarach Otef Atzurim," the legal aid organization representing the four.

Following the decision, the State Attorney asked to suspend the decision until Thursday evening, and the court approved the request.

Rear-Admiral Ofer Doron (res.) (63), who served as the commander of the Space Division at Israel Aerospace Industries, his son Gal (27), Ittay Yaffe (62), and Amir Sade (62) were indicted on charges of an act of terror of recklessness with fire and attempted arson early this month, after they fired marine flares near the prime minister's residence.  

"We welcome the court's decision, which recognized that it was time to release all four individuals," said organization lawyers Gonen Ben Itzhak and Nir Alfasa, who represent the four in a statement.

Footage of flare fired outside Netanyahu's residence on Saturday November 17, 2024 (credit: SCREENSHOT/X/VIA SECTION 27A OF THE COPYRIGHT ACT)

"The court agreed with us that there is no justification for the terrorism charge in the indictment," they added.

"In any case, this affair has been blown out of proportion, likely due to excessive motivation to create a criminal symmetry between political extremes."

"We are happy that they will finally be at home and able to handle the case from home rather than from jail," said Ofer Doron's son Ittay.

"I think that the [court's] decision is well-explained, moral and that its value for freedom of protest and the continuation of democracy here is important," he added.  

MK Gilad Kariv also responded to the decision, saying that its most important part was that the court found that there was no evidence of an act of terror by the four.

Kariv called on the State Attorney to "correct the indictment," saying that the state "should not associate terror charges with protest activists. This is not consistent with our pain regarding what happened here in the last 15 months as a result of real acts of terror and is not consistent with freedom of protest in a democratic country.

---

---

Criticism of charges

The terrorism charges against the four had led to criticism and protest against the arrest of the four, with opponents calling the charges politically motivated.

The Association for Civil Rights in Israel asked the State Attorney to reconsider the indictment when it was first announced, saying that it disproportionately harms freedom of protest.

"Freedom of protest is a fundamental right in a democratic society, and the use of criminal law and security services against demonstrators, in an attempt to suppress protests against the government or imprison protesters, is characteristic of oppressive regimes. The effort to label protesters as terrorists is also a hallmark of regimes we do not wish to emulate," "the ACRI said.

Protesters have been gathering outside the jail where the four were held multiple times a week to show support for them four.