Activists accused of torching dumpsters near PM’s residence request release to house arrest

Four anti-government activists suspected of torching dumpsters near the Prime Minister’s Residence arrive in court, where they are expected to be released to house arrest after nearly two months in jail.

The defendants — Lt. Col. (res.) Amos Doron, 60, Shmuel Reuveni, 57, Eyal Giller, 54 and Mark Foigel, 57 — were charged last month in court with arson, causing property damage and obstructing justice.

Three of the suspects are accused of setting fires in Jerusalem’s Rehavia neighborhood, during a day of mass protest for the return of the Hamas-held hostages. The fourth defendant, Foigel, is accused of organizing the arson plot and is characterized by the prosecution as the “dominant actor” in the incident despite not setting the fires himself.

The suspects’ defense attorneys are requesting in the Jerusalem District Court that they be released to supervised house arrest.

Four anti-government activists, in detention now nearly two months for setting fire to dumpsters outside Netanyahu's house, arrive in Jerusalem District Court where judge will rule on their release pic.twitter.com/ALlnwHS5Le

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Representing Foigel, Gaby Lasky questions police in deciding to push for their extended arrest “specifically in this instance.” She references the frequent dumpster fires lit by Haredi protesters during demonstrations against the draft.

“Not far from here in the Geula neighborhood, people burn dumpsters night after night for an ideological reason: in order to dodge military service, exactly the inverse of the people sitting here,” Lasky says, gesturing to the defendants.

Family members present are currently going one-by-one up to the podium and vowing to supervise the defendants and call the police if they violate the terms of their house arrest.