The Tap Is Closed: How the 'Compensation Industry' for Left-Wing Protesters in the Police Was Halted

The Israel Police paid hundreds of thousands of shekels to left-wing protesters in settlement agreements in lawsuits against it, without central oversight. Following an exposé by News 14, the police legal advisor, Eran Nahon, changed the policy: from now on, every claim will be reviewed at the national level, and no independent decision will be made in the districts. The police explain that the goal is uniformity, oversight, and protecting public funds.

For years, the Israel Police paid hundreds of thousands of shekels to left-wing protesters who filed civil lawsuits against the organization and its officers, alleging false arrests and other grounds related to protests. According to sources familiar with the matter, until about two months ago, each district legal advisor had the authority to approve settlement agreements independently, without a central oversight mechanism. This situation created inconsistency between districts, with unusually high sums paid in the Jerusalem and Tel Aviv districts. Following an exposé by News 14, the police legal advisor, Eran Nahon, changed the policy: from now on, every claim will be reviewed at the national level in the police legal advisory. The police explain that the goal is to create a uniform policy, increase oversight, and prevent gaps between districts in managing legal proceedings and public funds. The article quotes the police: "In light of the importance of the issue and to ensure uniformity of treatment, it was decided that all legal proceedings in similar incidents will be reviewed from a comprehensive national perspective in the legal advisory of the Israel Police."