The Jerusalem Justice of the Peace’s Courtroom on Friday rejected a police request to increase the home arrest of Yinon Levi, a sanctioned settler who allegedly shot lifeless Palestinian activist Awdah Hathaleen this week throughout a confrontation contained in the West Financial institution village of Umm al-Khair.
Levi was launched to deal with arrest on Tuesday, and police had sought to increase it till August 9.
Decide Chavi Toker stated that the “affordable suspicion” in opposition to Levi had turn out to be weaker, and that Levi’s declare that the pictures he discharged from his pistol weren’t the pictures that killed Hathaleen had been strengthened by testimony gathered by police investigators from “the opposite facet” — apparently in reference to witnesses from Umm al-Khair and worldwide activists who had been within the village in the course of the incident.
Toker stated that testimony from “the opposite facet” strengthened Levi’s declare that Hathaleen was far from Levi when he fired his gun.
She due to this fact dominated in opposition to the police’s request, asserting that the assertion that he poses a hazard had been weakened.
Police requested a delay in releasing Levi from home arrest to be able to permit an attraction of the choice, which Toker granted.
Hathaleen, who was featured within the Oscar-winning documentary “No Different Land” about Israeli dwelling demolitions within the West Financial institution, was allegedly shot lifeless by Levi when the latter operated an excavator inside Umm al-Khair and broken bushes and a water pipe contained in the village.
Yinon Levi works on his farm within the South Hebron Hills, West Financial institution, Might 12, 2024. (Maya Alleruzzo/AP)
Village residents and pro-Palestinian activists reportedly tried to dam development work Levi was finishing up close to the Carmel settlement, elements of which come proper as much as Umm al-Khair, and allegedly threw stones on the excavator he was utilizing alongside an underage driver.
Levi and the minor had been finishing up earthworks for a brand new neighborhood of Carmel, however allegedly crossed into Umm al-Khair’s territory, the place they started damaging infrastructure and bushes contained in the village.
Hathaleen despatched a WhatsApp message to activists within the space saying that Levi had tried to sever the primary water pipe for the Palestinian village after which went with different activists to attempt to cease the development car.
Whereas being questioned by Levi’s lawyer, the police consultant in court docket stated that the bullet that killed Hathaleen had not been discovered.
The police consultant insisted, nonetheless, that for the reason that potential cost in opposition to Levi was reckless manslaughter, additional investigative actions had been wanted to find out if Levi had lawfully fired his weapon.
As to Levi’s declare that his gunshots weren’t those who killed Hathaleen, he stated, “There are a number of variations [of events] right here, there are a lot of concerned individuals. Each sees the incident from his perspective, from the place he stood.” He added that additional investigative work was wanted to be able to kind out the claims.
The mourning tent arrange in reminiscence of Odeh al-Hathaleen on the website the place he was killed In Umm al-Kheir, within the South Hebron Hills, West Financial institution. July 31, 2025. (Nurit Yohanan)
Toker stated that, together with the testimony she argued had strengthened Levi’s case, his claims of self-defense had additionally been boosted by proof collected from the “different facet.” She stated, “There isn’t a argument that an incident of dozens of individuals who threw stones towards the respondent was prevented.”
Levi is amongst a number of West Financial institution settlers who had been positioned underneath financial sanctions by the previous administration of former US president Joe Biden for perpetrating violence in opposition to Palestinians. President Donald Trump lifted the sanctions, however sanctions imposed by Canada, the UK, and the European Union stay in place.
Levi based and operates an unlawful farming outpost, Meitarim Farms, within the South Hebron Hills area the place Umm al-Khair is positioned. He additionally owns a development and demolition firm which is subcontracted by the IDF to hold out demolitions within the West Financial institution of unlawful Palestinian development.
Levi has additionally been working in Gaza Metropolis, doing demolition work for the military there.
Civil rights organizations have repeatedly accused Levi of being liable for extreme violence and harassment in opposition to native Palestinians, utilizing Meitarim Farms as a base for him and younger settler extremists to intimidate and assault native communities equivalent to Khirbet Zanuta, whose residents ultimately fled their properties in October 2023 within the face of such harassment.
A petition to the Excessive Courtroom of Justice by Khirbet Zanuta residents demanding safety explicitly names Levi as one of many key sources of violence in opposition to the group.
