Baruch Ben Ezri, Border Police commander who murdered Ethiopian youth, Solomon Tekah
Israelis have widely identified on social media the Border Police officer who murdered Ethiopian youth, Soloman Tekah, in an unprovoked attack three days ago. Israeli police have attempted to protect the killer by obtaining a 30-day gag order (see court document) prohibiting reporting of his name. But such an attempt is in vain since his identity has been widely reported. He is Baruch Ben Ezri.
He and his family have been stashed away in a five-star hotel under the highest level of protection, for fear he will be attacked by protesters angry at the killing. This indicates that the Border Police consider Ethiopians on a par with Palestinian militants seeking to kill Israeli security forces. Instead of being viewed as fellow citizens legitimately seeking a redress of their grievances against mass police violence, they are viewed as potential terrorists.
Ethiopian-Israelis have rioted throughout the country in the biggest protests of civil unrest in years. Major roads throughout the country have been blocked. Cars and other vehicles have been torched. Police have battled with protesters to keep thoroughfares open to traffic, using stun grenades, rubber bullets and officers on horseback. The tactics employed are themselves an indication of the hostility felt by the Jewish majority toward the Ethiopian minority.
Solomon Tekah’s parents mourning with their son’s picture
The Border Patrol is the goon squad of Israeli security forces. They are the most brutal, the most racist, the most violent of all branches of Israeli military or police. The list of their assaults, murders, and massacres against Palestinians, Ethiopian Israelis and African refugees, is far too long and plentiful.
The response by the political establishment to the murder has been typically perfunctory. Netanyahu offered two entire sentences expressing a modicum of sorrow, while demanding that Ethiopian Jews follow the law. The political class closes ranks behind the security forces and minimizes the longstanding grievances of the Ethiopian community, which faces daily and systemic racism.
Border Police commander, Baruch Ben Ezri (R.)
Tekah had been enjoying a night out with friends at a local Haifa-area youth center, whose programming is designed to offer educational enrichment and keep youth out of trouble. There was an altercation involving Ben Ezri who was off-duty and in the area with his wife and child. The Ethiopian youth who witnessed the incident said it was Ben Ezri who began harassing them. When they tried to flee, he shot at them. A bullet hit Tekah in the back and killed him.
Ben Ezri had been involved in a similar fatal shooting in 2006. He is claiming that he fired at the ground and the bullet ricocheted and hit Tekah. In that incident, a Border Police unit he commanded was hunting Palestinian workers squatting in abandoned buildings in Jaffa. After they caught three victims, the police took the two who had no proper permits allowing them to be in Israel into a separate room at the construction site. They stood them against a wall and began beating them mercilessly. One of the police pointed his gun in the back of one of the detainees and fired, killing him. In that instance, Ben Ezri and the shooter also claimed the bullet was fired accidentally. Two of Ben Ezri’s subordinates were prosecuted and convicted. As the commander, Ben Ezri faced no disciplinary action, though he was at the scene.
In the current case, Ben Ezri was not arrested and no charges have been filed. He was released to house arrest where he is being protected by his own fellow officers.
Israel has always been a racist society from its founding. But the original downtrodden class were the Palestinians who remained after the Nakba. They were second class citizens offered none of the educational, health or employment opportunities offered to Jews. They face 50 laws discriminating against them and in favor of Jews.
The hate and violence suffered by Ethiopians derives from this social context. When they emigrated to Israel in the 1990s, Israel was delighted and welcomed the Ethiopians. But the country did nothing to integrate them into society. It offered little by way of language or job training or providing educational opportunities. Ethiopians remain among the poorest sector of Israeli society. They’ve joined the Palestinians as the “underclass.”
re. the unwarranted killing of the young man of Ethiopian heritage…..and this: “Israel has always been a racist society from its founding. But the original downtrodden class were the Palestinians who remained after the Nakba. They were second class citizens offered none of the educational, health or employment opportunities offered to Jews. They face 50 laws discriminating against them and in favor of Jews.”
…I’m ashamed to be a citizen of the US that either coddles or encourages Israel’s twisted cruelties. In the larger scheme of things, it will bring about the end of both our nations.
The deceased’s surname is Takah and not as you report.
In the incident of 2006 where the Palestinian worker was killed Baruch Ben Ezri was the commander of the policemen who beat up the worker, but was not actually involved. Two of his subordinates were tried and found guilty, the one who shot of manslaughter, and the other, ironically an Ethiopian Israeli, of causing grievious bodily harm, and both sentenced to prison.
See http://www.psakdin.co.il (couldn’t copy the link) – hebrew.
What I can not understand is why these Ethiopian Israelite/Jews stay in Israel… Why are you wanting too be accepted by people whom are so racist?? Have some self dignity. Christians were far more nicer too you people in Ethiopia then these people in Israel… And even Christians are not accepted either. Unfortunately this is a fact that every other Abrahamic culture has come too realizes. Your just on the later half of realizing this too.
It was an interesting article until you trotted out that “50 laws” Adalah Bullshit.
I wouldn’t even hire them to challenge a speeding ticket.
@ Shai: His surname has been spelled in numerous western media outlets as Tekach. Show me sources in which the name is spelled as you claim.
That is a lie. This news article makes clear that Ben Ezri was with the officers when they killed the Palestinian. As their commander, he appears to have gotten off scot-free. As usual, the subordinates take all the blame. I wasn’t aware the subordinates were prosecuted. Ben Ezri should have been too. How does a commander have 2 subordinates charges and convicted of murder and he faces no consequence?? Ridiculous. But to be expected of the Border Police goon squad.
Do not ever post a lie like this again here. If you do, I will ban you.
The shooting occurred near Haifa, not in Tel Aviv.
The officer who shot Tekach claimed to have fired a warning shot that ricocheted and struck the victim in the chest. As matter of forensics, this claim of a ricochet should be very simple to prove, or disprove.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/manslaughter-charges-said-off-the-table-for-policeman-who-shot-ethiopian-israeli/
Tekah was not killed in Tel Aviv, but in Qiryat Haim – near Haifa.
P spot gives an English source for the Tekah spelling. All the Hebrew press (haaretz, walla maariv, ynet, etc spell טקה
“…the hostility felt by the Jewish majority toward the Ethiopian minority.”
This is nonsense. We are taking about an Ethiopian Jews not African refugees. Something like “Israeli majority … Ethiopian minority” would have made some sense.
@ Tony Riley: If you every associate Adalah with that word or pull that crap again, you’ll be banned here.
Adalah makes the world a slightly better place. You make it into shit.
UPDATE: I didn’t even notice I’d banned you back in February. But like a bad penny you came back to haunt us. Now you’re banned again.
@ Uriel Gold:
Don’t be a fool. The treatment of Ethiopian Jews in Israel is only marginally better than the treatment of African refugees. The only difference is that as citizens, the Ethiopians have slightly more rights. But in practice their lives are a sheer misery. And your noting that because they’re “Jews” they’re treated supposedly far better than the African refugees is offensive and racist.
@ P Spot: It doesn’t matter whether the claim is true or not, just by making it Ben Ezri will give the court reason to doubt his guilt. That’s all that’s necessary in the Israeli justic esystem to either get killers off, or get them severely reduced sentences. The fact that Ben Ezri subordinate essentially claimed the same defense in 2006 as the one Ben Ezri used now indicates a) that he’s a bad liar and b) he’s not smart enough to come up with a different, more persuasive defense and c) did I already say he was a liar?
It is certain that no Israeli police is trained to fire the warning shot against the ground. The bullet can ricochet in any direction depending were it hits and in the “worst” case can wound and kill the shooter. If the bullet in reality did hit the ground first even the Israeli police can check that story in a couple of minutes. There is clear mark on the ground where the bullet did hit first. Also line where the bullet was aimed and bounced (if it did) and what the ground is (asphalt road) are important. If it was aimed directly towards the victim the event is no accident or mistake. So the story Ben Ezri developed can be checked easily. Will the story be inspected in the famous Israeli style like when those clean knifes without finger prints are found near the Palestinians murdered on the check points.
When Israel bombed a Finnish Church financed children clinic in Gaza after months of “inspections” Israel told our foreign ministry, that there was a Hamas weapon cache in the building and Israel did not know that there was a clinic in the building and would have not have bombed it if they would have known about the clinic. The clinic had been operating in the building a long time and personnel said that there was no Hamas presence. The building was clearly marked. So Israel knows that in a building is a secret weapon cache but they have not noticed that huge painted red cross sign on the roof. That is Israeli admirable style in their inspections and explanations.
It doesn’t change the fact it should say “Israeli majority”. Do other minorities treat Ethiopians better? Lets say Palestinian-Israelis, Moroccans and Ashkenazim?
I can’t see how can this uphold to the current standards of politically correctness of the left.
Or maybe in Israel, you can just blame everything on the Jews just like according to this lady, there can’t be racism against white people in the US b/c white people has lots of political power. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQbnyUBhP4E
@ Uriel gold: You clearly have not read the comment rules. Do not publish another comment here till you do. You may not pass off your opinions as fact without credible evidence supporting them. You may not pass off your prejudices as credible or factual.
Don’t try this self-pitying anti-Semitism-mongering nonsense here or your stay with us will be short.
You are done in this thread. You may publish if you wish in other threads. But not this one.
I think you should investigate this event further, there are signs that his actions were right on and that the kid was far from innocence.
Maybe gag orders really do have a place in Israeli jurisprudence, and should therefor be respected.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/arson-is-suspected-in-fire-at-home-of-daycare-manager-filmed-abusing-children/
@ P Spot: Maybe you’re full of crap. If they’re worried that someone identified is under threat you post police to protect them. But you don’t sacrifice democratic principles, free press and the public’s right to know in order to make the job of police easier. At least you don’t in a real democracy. Which is why there are stupid gag orders in Israel.
@ Nimo: I think you should stop shilling for murderers.
Not as a stand for or against the shooting – but why do you write in English murder and in Hebrew shooting?
How come you are so angry and disrespectful of others Richard? you claim to be a liberal, a lefty, free speech, but when someone voice an opinion different then yours you flip, whats that about?
Why not be more respectful of other people’s opinions, maybe it will be easier for other to actually listen to yours…
@Nimo: You mean why am I disrepectful of people who agree with you, right?
I frankly don’t care. I’m not here to hold hands or be respectful, unless those who oppose me respect decency, humanity and justice. If they are shills, I see no reason to offer them decency they don’t afford to others.
@shaihaim: I don’t think the two words contradict each other, do you? Also, Israelis get especially angry when the crimes of their state authorities are exposed fully. So we tried to shield their sensibilities a bit
Im not in favour of Israeli police and it’s policy, but your article is misleading and establishing unknown facts. to this day, non of the exact story-line is known, a part of the fact that Tekah was severally injured of a bullet shrapnel in his chest, eventually causing his death.
@ Yair G: You are the 4th Israeli commenter here who’s begun his comment with: “I don’t like the police but…” Why don’t you all have the courage of your convictions and admit you’re shilling for both the police and the national security state. You’re just doing it in a slightly more nuanced way than the idiot who outright accused me of being an anti-Semite (in a comment I didn’t publish) and of publishing lies.
There are loads of crap leaks from police claiming the Takah was a hooligan, threw rocks, was a thief, etc. But no proof whatsoever. On the other hand, eyewitnesses to the killing say what happened. I’m relying on them. They have credibility. The police do not. And your claims that no one knows what happened are only true if you prefer the lies of the police to the truth of the witnesses and victims.
Liars.
@Richard Silverstein
It is Takah not Tekah:
https://youtu.be/nwcn8xpfmSo?t=61
I told you earlier that there might be other thing at play here and you should wait for a full result of the investigation, yet you claimed I was protecting a murderer, well this just came from a very credible source, head of the coroner’s office.
How do I deduct he is credible?! he is one of the only government officials who is brave enough to call a probe into the murder case of Tair Rada from 13 years ago, a much debated topic with a big fat police and DA office conspiracy surrounding it.
https://www.mako.co.il/tv-morning-news/articles/Article-d5b5c56b23efb61027.htm?utm_source=Whatsapp&utm_medium=Share&Partner=Whatsapp_Share&fbclid=IwAR2WJ71EI7iwvvJiPlmYtWlqDC5eqUkUBxVBM_uAjNQy-GL-dGC19-uAhEM
@ Nimo: The Israeli state coroner is just that–an employee of the state whose department budget is paid by the state. He is not independent. Thus, he is not trustworthy. How do I know that? Because his predecessor in the job harvested organs and sold them. That doesn’t mean that Kugel does the same, but it does mean that everything he does is suspect.
In the case of Julie Pearson, the state medical examiner offered a sham finding that she was not murdered by her partner. The finding was disputed by another medical examiner hired by her family. So no, I don’t trust this guy’s findings in this case.
As for the claim that DNA of the victim was found on rocks near his body, that strikes me as ludicrous. If you are throwing or holding a rock, it seems highly improbable there would be enough cells on the rock to detect them. And even if his DNA was on a rock, that doesn’t mean he threw it at the police officer. It’s also highly likely that the police could have scraped his hand on the rock after he was shot in order to, in effect, plant evidence that could be used afterward to justify the shooting. And if you don’t think Israeli Border Police plant evidence, you’re naive and foolish.
I want to see an independent coroner paid for by the family or independent parties doing an entirely separate autopsy. After such findings, we will have much better data on which to judge the state coroner’s report.
And finally, the idea that you and the coroner are blaming the victim for his own murder is disgusting. We know what you’re doing. We see it clearly. Even if he was throwing a rock (which I dispute) no one should be murdered for doing so (unless you’re Palestinian, of course, which then makes your life hefker). And even if the bullet was fired into the ground (which again, I dispute), why should an off duty policeman be firing his gun in a crowd like that?
You’ve also ignored the story of the witnesses who say the killer provoked the fight by harassing and taunting the victim and his friends. Given the sordid history of the Border Police and the killer himself, this seems highly likely. In any other democracy in the world (which Israel falsely calls itself) such an officer of the state would be disciplined and fired for discharging his weapon against regulations.
You have a killer on the loose. He’s now killed twice. He will kill again. But it won’t bother you because he won’t kill Israeli Jews. He’ll kill people you don’t give a s*** about. So it’s cool.
You are done in this thread.