‘Blood everywhere’: As Israel’s protests ramp up, the police crack down

The protests against the hard-right government’s effort to weaken the judiciary have ratcheted up over the past two weeks – and so has violence by the police.

In increasing numbers and with greater aggression, Kobi Shabtai’s force is deploying the mounted police, water cannons and the Yasam riot police. Last week the police even used sound cannons twice, endangering the hearing of nearby protesters.

On the website Alimut Yisrael (Violence Israel), Israelis have reported 283 cases of violence by the police, 145 of them in the last two weeks. It’s unclear how many cases have gone unreported.

“In the videos uploaded by protesters, you can see the same policeman at the protest in the morning, at the protest at noon and then again in the evening,” says Inbar Yassur, who founded the site. “With so many working so hard, they seem to be on edge.”

Michael Fisch | 46, father of a 7-year-old girl, lives in Tel Aviv and works at a high-tech company

“I was on the shoulder of the Ayalon Highway two weeks ago when a water cannon began firing at the protesters. I was hit in the face and it felt as if both my eyes had fallen onto the road. I tried to rub my eyes but all I could see was white. I was sure I had lost my sight forever.

“People helped me and I heard them shouting: ‘He’s bleeding from his eyes.’ I got to Ichilov [Hospital] and later was told that I’d been yelling that I had to see my daughter for the last time. In one eye I now have a detached retina with holes in it. I’ve had two operations so far. I’m going to need glasses for the rest of my life.”

Shahar Ginossar | 61, father of two from Tel Aviv, journalist

“I lost consciousness at an event, so what I’m telling you has been reconstructed with the help of video clips and others who were there. What I do remember is that I was walking with other people on the Ayalon on Wednesday two weeks ago. The water cannon aimed at me from five or six meters away. I was hurled back onto the road, and the thrust of the water dragged me for a few more meters as I was lying on the road.

“I have zero memory of falling. I woke up at Ichilov with a fractured eye socket, stitches on my face and a knee injury.”

Muli Aaronsohn | 72, father of five and grandfather of seven from Tel Aviv, attorney

“I was standing at the intersection of Begin and Kaplan last Tuesday afternoon. A group of mounted police suddenly came up on the sidewalk and I took a terrible hit: I was butted by a horse and thrown onto the road. My eye socket was injured and I broke my hip. Now I’m in a long rehab, and lots of pain.

“I’m from the Aaronsohn family; my grandfather was the older brother of Sarah, the heroine of the Nili spy ring [during World War I]. So this isn’t something that will break my spirit.

“I was seriously wounded during my military service, but back then I was wounded for the country and against its enemies. This time I’ve been branded an enemy of the state. This gives me sad thoughts.”

Roni Porat | 40, mother of three from Moshav Beit Nekofa near Jerusalem, researcher at Hebrew University

“The protests at Hemed Junction [west of Jerusalem] are usually calm. Last week, when the water cannons arrived, I decided that this was the time to leave. I kept a distance from the road but the police aimed directly at anybody who was leaving.

“I was hit in the back by a strong jet of water. I was flung up against the guardrail and landed hard, with my face on the road. I felt the blood flowing everywhere. I broke two teeth, and in the hospital they stitched up my face.

“Ever since, my confidence in the country has been completely shaken. I’m a total dork, the mother of three little kids. I’ve never taken part in a violent protest, which is why my injury comes as such a big break in my life. But I’m not going to stop protesting.”

Udi Ori | 67, father of three and grandfather of seven from Jaffa, retired air force and El Al pilot

“I was at the Ayalon two weeks ago and saw the water cannon shooting; it was aimed directly at people. I walked with my back toward it so I wouldn’t get hurt, but for a split second I turned my head and was hit right in the eye. The sensation was that I had no eye left and it was rolling on the road. I was afraid somebody would step on it.

“At the hospital it turned out that I had a fractured eye socket and torn eyelids, which were repaired in an operation. Of course I’ll go back protesting. After all, I have legs to walk on and hands to hold the flag. In the worst-case scenario, I’ll see with only one eye.”

Asaf Agmon | 75, father of five and grandfather of nine from Savyon near Tel Aviv, reserve brigadier general in the air force

“I was at a conference in Sderot. When [Economy Minister] Nir Barkat got up to speak, I stood up and was holding an Israeli flag while shouting at Barkat. Ushers tried to pull it away from me but I didn’t give up and went up onto the stage. They threw me down the steps; I shouted that they were tearing off my shoulder.

“At Sheba [Medical Center near Tel Aviv] it turned out that I had torn ligaments and torn shoulder muscles. Barkat was standing on the stage the whole time and didn’t say a word to calm the situation.

“The mayor, Alon Davidi, also inflamed the situation. For me, that was harder than the injuries. It scares me to see people act with such evil toward other citizens. But eventually we’ll win, I have no doubt about it.”

Eitan Refaely | 64, father of three and grandfather of two from Kochav Ya’ir northeast of Tel Aviv, defense establishment retiree

“Last month we protested against the government at the Sderot Economic Conference. Suddenly a group of ushers and police lunged at us wildly; they pushed and dragged us and slammed us against each other. I was hit so many times I was in a daze.

“Later I heard that the police had rolled me down the steps and threw me out into the courtyard. The result is a complete tear of a shoulder muscle, three tears of other muscles, and physical trauma all over my body. I had surgery last week and my rehab is expected to take months. I’m suffering excruciating pain.”

Guy Raphael | 49, father of three from Binyamina north of Tel Aviv, project manager in the construction sector

“I demonstrated at Ben-Gurion Airport last Tuesday. I passed by some cops and one of them punched me in the stomach. ‘Why are you hitting me?’ I asked, amazed, and he responded, ‘I’m not touching you.’

“The atmosphere was crazy and it was extremely crowded; at some point I fell to the ground and saw masses of legs running near my head. As I was trying to get up I unintentionally touched a guy from the Border Police. He punched me hard right in the nose; he was in such a rage.

“I came out of the incident with a broken nose; it’s still unclear if it’ll heal. The flag I go to all the protests with is now soaked in blood.”

Ophir Vesely | 16, from Tel Aviv, attends Ironi Hey High School

“Two weeks ago I went with my mother and father to protest on Kaplan, and we went down to the Ayalon. A lot of police with horses and water cannons showed up, so we walked back to get further away.

“One mounted policeman was using his baton to hit protesters; he was really aggressive. I shouted, ‘What are you doing?’ The policeman had a look of hatred in his eyes. He turned the horse around and came at me, and the horse landed on my foot.

“I didn’t yet understand the extent of the damage. Only when I walked back [off the highway] did I notice that I was missing a piece of my foot. At the Children’s Hospital I found out that my toes were broken. Last Saturday night I went out again to protest at Kaplan – in a wheelchair.”

The Israel Police responded: “The police carry out professional and impartial enforcement during which the enforcement policy is administered in accordance with the law and while exercising discretion.

“Regarding claims about conduct of one sort or another, these should be examined by the relevant authorities.”