Called the police after an argument with her mother - the family claims: "We were handcuffed and beaten in front of the children"
The family members recount the moments when, according to them, the event got out of control, and are now demanding an investigation into the conduct of the police officers. After we contacted the police for a response, it was stated that they had contacted the Police Investigation Department (PID) to open an investigation.
An argument between a mother and her daughter in a family home in Nahariya led the daughter to dial the 100 emergency center and hang up after saying "help". Police officers who arrived at the scene, according to the family, escalated the situation even though the argument had already ended.
The father, mother, and their daughter were handcuffed and taken to the police station in front of their five children. The father, Yossi Ben-Haim, who serves in the Nahariya standby squad, claims he was beaten even after he was already handcuffed. The family demands that the body cameras, station cameras, and operational reports be checked: "We are not asking for revenge. We are asking for answers."
The incident occurred last Thursday around 12:00 in the Amidar neighborhood. Ben-Haim claims that when he tried to document the police actions on his phone, the device was taken from him. The situation escalated quickly; the mother, suffering from a panic attack, was handcuffed, as was their daughter, who has a disability. The father claims he was taken out of the house barefoot, punched in the back, and later beaten inside a patrol car.
At the police station, the family says they remained handcuffed for hours while being subjected to verbal abuse. After a few hours, a senior investigation officer arrived, apologized for the incident, and the family members were released.
The Israel Police stated:
"Contrary to what is claimed, we will note that this is a team of police officers equipped with body cameras, who arrived at a residential apartment after being summoned there following a report about a fear for human life. Upon the team's arrival, a violent commotion began towards the police officers, which disrupted their ability to check the details. Those involved were detained for questioning and released under conditions. A report was proactively transferred to the PID, as is customary. We will not be able to comment further until the completion of their examination."
Attorney Elinor Tal, representing the family, announced plans to file an urgent complaint with the PID, describing the officers' conduct as "a shocking event of brutal police violence" and a gross violation of human rights.
