Israel activist jailed over anti-occupation protests rejects court’s authority

An Israeli court yesterday extended the detention of anti-occupation activist Jonathan Pollak, reported Haaretz, where Pollak is an employee.

“I don’t recognize the authority of this court to sit in judgement,” Pollak declared in his hearing.

“The court has taken on itself the right to be part of the repression of the resistance to the military dictatorship that Israel is running in the territories,” the activist told the court.

Undercover Israeli police officers arrested Pollak on Monday at work, after he had repeatedly refused to appear in court over a private prosecution filed against him by far-right group Ad Kan.

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According to the complaint, Pollak took part in protests in Palestinian villages during which Israeli occupation forces were attacked by demonstrators, alleging that Pollak was an “active participant encouraging rioters to throw rocks” at soldiers.

During her client’s hearing, Pollak’s lawyer Gaby Lasky said that the “entire proceeding is improper and the court must examine it”, adding: “There is no possibility of denying a person’s freedom based on an improper proceeding.”

Earlier this week, Haaretz noted, “Pollak told the court that he does not intend on depositing the required 500-shekel ($144) bail for his release, because he refuses to cooperate with the Israeli legal system.”