'Choked, put his fingers in his eyes': Charge against 'Kavim' driver who hit Haredi man

The Tel Aviv District Prosecution Unit of the police filed an indictment today (Wednesday) against an Arab bus driver for the Kavim company, who brutally attacked an ultra-Orthodox passenger near the Bar Ilan Interchange about two months ago.

The driver hit the passenger after he pressed the 'stop' button in order to get off the bus and the driver did not stop at the stop.

The indictment charges the driver with assault causing actual bodily harm and intentional damage to property.

The victim is represented by attorney Haim Bleicher of Mehonu.

The indictment describes how the driver attacked the passenger with severe violence: "After the passenger pointed out to the driver that he was the one who pressed the button, the driver attacked him by throwing a cup of coffee at him, which he was holding in his hand. After an exchange of words between the parties, and the defendant's demand that the complainant 'apologize to Allah,' the driver advanced towards the passenger, began hitting him in the face and body, choked him and put his fingers in his eyes. In his aforementioned actions, the defendant attacked the complainant and caused him real injury and thus intentionally damaged the complainant's property."

Documentary: A bus driver violently beats a passenger last night on a line traveling from Betar Illit to Bnei Brak. Kavim company: "The issue is under investigation" pic.twitter.com/WBIVmTln2C

— Hod Barel Hod Barel (@hod_barel) June 5, 2024

Attorney Bleicher: "We welcome the police's claims for filing the indictment. This is a dangerous person who attacked in an extremely severe and brutal manner, demanding forgiveness from 'Allah,' so this is a racist nationalist attack."

"We think it would have been appropriate to leave the attacker in custody until the end of the proceedings and to file a much more serious indictment against him by the prosecutor's office. Now that the indictment has been filed by the police prosecution with the facts as described, we ask that the procedure be expedited as much as possible, since every day that the Islamist thug walks free poses a danger to the citizens of Israel."

"In addition, a significant check must be made among public transportation drivers to identify terrorists and terrorist supporters who pose a serious and clear immediate danger to security. The writing is on the wall, we must act."