Lawyers for a Border Police officer said their client chose a stun grenade over live fire after seeing a suspect try to pull an object from his pocket, according to Channel 12.
At 22:04 on Sunday, Police Internal Affairs (Mahash) opened an investigation into the incident. The officer was questioned under caution, removed from his unit for eight days, and barred from contact with those involved, as The Zioneer reported. By early Monday evening, the officer's lawyers, Nagev Grinold and Artzi Argov, issued a statement (Channel 12) saying their client had been instructed to arrest individuals disrupting public order; when he saw a suspect reach into his pocket, he chose a stun grenade over live fire — a less harmful option, they argued. The lawyers also noted that the Israel Prison Service uses stun grenades daily in detention cells.
This defense echoes the officer's own claim (first published at 22:04 Sunday via N12) that he and his colleagues were pelted with rocks and acted in self-defense. Channel 12's Oren Ravid reported that the officer told investigators he identified a subject trying to pull something from his pocket and opted for a stun grenade to minimize harm. The account has not been independently verified; the incident remains under Mahash investigation, as The Zioneer reported across multiple versions from Sunday evening through early Monday.
The public debate over stun-grenade use has intensified. As The Zioneer reported on Jun 17, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said he had spoken with Police Commissioner Danny Levi and instructed his office to examine restricting or removing stun grenades from police use, citing his dislike of the images. The Zioneer also previously reported on June 9 footage of police using stun grenades to disperse protesters.
What remains open: the officer's account of a rock attack and a suspect reaching for an object has not been corroborated by any independent source, and the Police Internal Affairs investigation is ongoing. No statement from vehicle occupants or additional witnesses has been published.
15 developments
- StrongUpdate: Around 30 wounded in canopy collapse at Qalandia terrorist funeral
- DevelopingLebanon: Drone drops stun grenade near Israeli forces, apparently as warning
- DevelopingGrenade thrown at protesters on Highway 4
- StrongBen Gvir says he spoke with police commissioner, stun grenade use may be restricted or removed
Source and signal
- Internal intake