From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, August 5, 2026
Haifa court exonerates man detained for poster calling PM a ‘Hamas funder’
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleThe Haifa Magistrate’s Court exonerates a man who was arrested and placed under house arrest yesterday for holding up a sign that read “Hamas funder” alongside pictures of a Hamas flag and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The protester, Guri Lotan, was detained and questioned yesterday on suspicion of behavior that could disrupt public order, according to the Protest Detainee Legal Support Front, a group of lawyers who represent anti-government activists pro bono.
Lotan, who waived his right to counsel in the interrogation itself, contacted the lawyer group after he was questioned and handed five days’ house arrest as well as a 15-day restraining order to keep away from Haifa’s Horev Center, a protest hotspot, the group says.
In an appeal to the court, Tomer Ben Hemo of the Legal Support Front said police had “no authority to interrogate or detain” Lotan, let alone restrict his movement. Police did not challenge the appeal.
Judge Maria Ficus Bogdanov scraps the restrictions on Lotan, finding that “there was no basis to detain the petitioner, and the conditions imposed on him are disproportionate.”
מוחה מחיפה עומד מזה זמן עם השלט שבתמונה, מצא עצמו היום בחדר החקירות, נחקר בחשד של התנהגות העלולה להפר את שלום הציבור.
הוא סרב לעו״ד ויצר קשר עמנו רק בצאתו מהחקירה
בתנאים של ….מעצר בית 5 ימים והרחקה של 15 יום מחורב.
עו״ד תומר בן חמו ממערך עוטף עצורים עובד ברגעים אלו על ערר.
שוב… pic.twitter.com/phZUGm0yT1— מערך עוטף עצורים (@AtzurimHafganot) August 4, 2026
The Times of Israel Community.