An Arab citizen living in a village in the north, 36 years old, hoped they would show some compassion, after he could not find a place to stay and slept in a synagogue.
In the morning, the rabbi of the place called the police for him, who arrested him and even asked to extend his detention.
The judge ruled that this was at most reaching a limit and released him on bail, when he failed to obtain guarantees, the police brought him to court again this morning, this time the judge even criticized the police and released him unconditionally.
The citizen who could not find a place to spend the night between Friday and Saturday, went to sleep in a synagogue in central Tel Aviv and even drank some of the alcohol that was there.
In the morning of Saturday when the rabbi arrived at the scene, he called the police who arrested him.
In his investigation, the suspect claimed that he thought it was a place where one could sleep, just as in a mosque one is allowed to sleep and even expressed regret for it.
The police arrested the suspect on suspicion of trespassing and theft.
Illustration, photo: Oren Ben Hakon
Despite this, the police decided to imprison him and even bring him to court yesterday for a hearing with a request to extend his detention by four days.
In court, the police representative claimed that he entered the synagogue through the window and according to the rabbi of the synagogue, it is a closed place that is not open to the public during the hours when the suspect entered the place.
The defense attorney, attorney Yossi Saka who represented him from the public defender's office, asked the court to release him and said: "Why does a person have to come here because he sleeps in a synagogue?
A homeless person can enter a synagogue and sleep there as long as he has not committed a related offense.
He didn't steal the alcohol, he drank the alcohol that was there.
He does not equip himself with hacking tools, does not cause damage to the place, does not break and does not connect to others."
The judge criticized the police decision.
The court in Tel Aviv, photo: Gideon Markovich
Judge Avital Amsalem accepted the words of the defense attorney and pointed out that even though it was a place where entry was prohibited, the circumstances of the incident do not indicate the crime of breaking out for the purpose of committing a crime but trespassing, since it is a low bar since it is a house of prayer that did not have other people in it and also the crime of theft (drinking) from the bottle of alcohol A.C.) is a minor and was ordered to release him on bail.
After the suspect failed to arrange the required bail, this morning the police brought him to court again this time, so that the court would order his release without any conditions.
Judge Chen Meirovitz ordered the release of the suspect without any conditions and immediately and even criticized the police.
"Reviewing the decision, it appears that already yesterday Judge Amsalam maintained that this was a minor offense and believed that there was no reason to order his arrest. I share the criticism raised by the defense attorney regarding the extension of the procedure and the deprivation of the suspect's right under the said circumstances," wrote Judge Meirovitz in her decision.
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