National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir responded Wednesday to criticism over police conduct, saying he will urgently discuss limiting stun grenade use to exceptional cases per regulations — and that if use is not so restricted, stun grenades will be removed from the police force entirely, according to his office. The statement follows earlier use of stun grenades against civilians, as The Zioneer reported.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said Wednesday morning that stun grenade use will be limited to exceptional cases strictly in line with police procedures — or that stun grenades will be removed from the police force entirely. The statement was first reported by Channel 12 journalist Eli Hirshman, who cited Ben Gvir citing an increase in incidents where stun grenades were used against civilians not in accordance with regulations. A version of the threat had already circulated from version 1 of this thread, when associates of Ben Gvir told journalist Mordechai Hershkovitz that the minister hinted he might order an end to stun grenade use. By version 4, Ben Gvir himself had warned police officers directly following clashes in Bnei Brak, saying stun grenades would no longer be available. The current version explicitly links the threat to a pattern of protocol violations against civilians.
The thread extends back to Tuesday, June 9, when The Zioneer reported that Israeli police used stun grenades to disperse protesters. Earlier Wednesday, the first three thread items (versions 1, 2, and 4) all published at 10:14 Jerusalem, with version 1 relying on associates and versions 2 and 4 citing Israeli media. Version 5, also at 10:14 Jerusalem, added Channel 12's named-correspondent sourcing. The desk's own bulletin at 10:20 Jerusalem confirmed the story. On Sunday June 14, Deputy Commissioner Aryeh Doron stated the force is ready for rapid transition to emergency footing — background that contextualizes the minister's push for stricter oversight within ongoing operational tensions.
The minister's announcement represents a significant step in the debate over police use of force, but it remains to be seen whether the discussion he announced will result in formal operational orders. No timeline for the discussion has been given.
7 developments
- DevelopingEli Hirschman calls on Ben-Gvir, Police Commissioner to stop 'police violence'
- StrongIsrael's national security minister backs police who shot suspected car-rammer
- DevelopingYair Golan: summon police official Doron over 'Ben-Gvir police lost restraint'
- StrongIsraeli police fire stun grenades to disperse protesters
Source and signal
- Internal intake