Protest Following Attorney's Murder: "Black Flag — We Are Leaving Courtrooms"

Shock in the Israeli legal community: following the murder of an attorney on Tuesday in Rishon LeZion, the Israel Bar Association is announcing a series of protest measures and warning of severe damage to the rule of law.

In a joint statement published by the head of the Bar, Adv. Amit Becher, together with the district heads and members of the National Council, a "black flag" was declared. The Bar leaders called the murder "a shocking event that must lead to a change in the attitude of decision-makers toward the violence that is consuming every good part of Israeli society," and emphasized that violence against attorneys is a direct blow to their ability to fulfill their professional mission.

At an emergency meeting held today, it was decided that on Wednesday, at exactly 10:00 AM, attorneys will walk out of courtrooms across the country and observe two minutes of silence in memory of their colleague. The Bar called on all members to also leave their offices and participate in the protest, while senior Bar officials are expected to be physically present at the district courts.

In addition to the immediate protest measures, it was decided to establish a special team, led by the head of the Bar and the district heads, which will work to strengthen and promote the emergency hotline for threatened attorneys. The team will formulate regulated procedures and professional training that will help attorneys identify risk situations and carry out "safe disengagement" from violent clients.

The Bar understands that this is a broader problem and announced that they will work to establish a "coordinating body" in cooperation with other professional organizations suffering from public violence — primarily the Israel Medical Association and teachers' unions — with the goal of creating a unified front and a systemic response.

The murder — because of a debt of 15,000

At the same time, the police investigation into the circumstances of the case continues. The suspect, a 32-year-old resident of Ramle who was known to the police for previous offenses, turned himself in about two hours after the murder.

During police questioning, the suspect said that there was a financial dispute between him and the attorney. According to him, the attorney was supposed to transfer 15,000 shekels to him. He arrived at the office to demand the money, and during the argument, he shot him four times.