West Bank security coordinator gets house arrest

Pinchas Ran, 37, will remain in the Golan Heights rather than a West Bank jail cell. Judge Elad Persky of the Jerusalem District Court made this ruling on October 28. The decision affects how the security coordinator for the Itamar area is held while legal proceedings continue against him.

Ran faces charges for causing serious injury with aggravated intent and obstructing justice. Prosecutors submitted the indictment on October 23. They allege that on September 18, Ran drove a Ranger off-road vehicle into the village of Akraba near Nablus. This location was outside his designated jurisdiction. He was accompanied by an armed career soldier. Military officials had previously warned Ran to stay within his assigned area and follow firearm procedures.

Prosecutors state that Ran stopped residents to check their identity cards without legal authority. He then ordered a Mazda carrying a married couple to stop. The driver accelerated after noticing the men were not uniformed soldiers and that one wore a mask. Ran allegedly fired at least three shots at the moving vehicle. Two bullets struck the car and the passenger, Aseel Bani Jaber. One bullet entered her upper back and lodged near her heart. The other hit near her buttock. She underwent surgery to remove the bullets and spent several days in the hospital.

The indictment claims Ran returned to the scene to collect cartridge cases. This action was intended to hinder the judicial process. When security officials later inquired about a shooting in the area, Ran allegedly stated he had not heard of it and was not present. Ran rejects this account. His legal team, the organization Honenu, argues that a vehicle without license plates drove toward them in an attempted ramming. They claim Ran fired into the air to stop the approaching car.

Judge Persky cited Ran's clean criminal record and military service as reasons for house arrest. The court found that prosecutors did not demonstrate a concrete risk of interference now that the indictment is filed. Ran's defense submitted letters from former commanders. One battalion commander described Ran's character without addressing the specific allegations. The letters noted that Ran returned to reserve service after his brother was killed in October 2023.

Ran's lawyer, Nati Rom, welcomed the court's decision. He asked prosecutors to reconsider the case. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for November 12.