July 31, 2012 Nitzav Meni Yitzhaqi Substitute Commander, Jerusalem District (Mahoz) Israel Police

Digitally signed by Joseph Zernik DN: cn=Joseph Zernik, o, ou, email=jz12345@ earthlink.net, c=US Date: 2012.07.31 15:30:36 +03'00'

RE: Open Memo in re: Evidence of deficient Public Safety and alleged violations of Human Rights in Zion Square area, conclusions and recommendations. Dear Nitzav Yitzhaqi: I, Joseph Zernik, am a homeless academic, also known by some as the Mukhtar of Zion Square (Kikar Tzion). I have been residing for the past 2.5 years at Jaffa 44, on the Square. In the wake of recent changes in command of Israel Police, Jerusalem District, I am forwarding to you the attached Memo, providing evidence of: a) Deficiencies in Public Safety in the Square area; b) Alleged violations of Human Rights in the Square area, related to undercover conduct of law enforcement of the State of Israel against both minors and adults, and c) Attempted restrictions of the rights to Free Speech and Free Assembly. The attached memo recommends: a) Continuing the non-enforcement or recent decisions, reported by media, to restrict the Peoples rights to Free Speech and Free Assembly in Zion Squares public space; b) Establishing ongoing presence of lightly armed Israel Police, on foot, as necessary to maintain Public Safety, while ending the use of the Squares public space for parking of law enforcement vehicles and motorcycles, unless for a specific need in that location at that time; c) Avoiding the use of undercover agents and operatives, or unwarranted surveillance. Truly,

______________ Joseph Zernik, PhD Human Rights Alert (NGO) CC: Rav Pakad Roni Polinger Commander, Harel Station Israel Police

Date: July 31, 2012 To: Nitzav Meni Yitzhaqi, Substitute Commander, Jerusalem District (Mahoz), Israel Police From: Joseph Zernik, PhD RE: Evidence of deficient Public Safety and alleged violations of Human Rights in Zion Square area, conclusions and recommendations. 1. Evidence Following is a sequence of relevant local events: a) February 2011 an Arab youth is murdered on nationalistic background near the Square. In the wake of the murder, and in view of ongoing disturbances of public peace in the Square, request was forwarded by this writer to a Member of Knesset, for uniformed Israel Police presence in the Square at nights, at least ThursdaysSaturdays. Consequently, such presence was maintained for a short period only. b) May 2012 Complaint (No 189216/2012) was filed with the City Center Station. [1] The most notable issue raised in the complaint was related to an attempt to harm Israel Police Special Squad [Yamar] on duty in the Square on the Eve of Independence Day of the State of Israel. As found out later, the Complaint was sealed. c) June 2012 following failed attempts to file an Addendum to the Complaint at the Station, District, and Yamar levels, the Addendum was eventually received by the office of Jerusalem District Commander, with the understanding that the Addendum was not likely to be investigated at all. [2] d) June/July, 2012 according to media reports, the Jerusalem Police refused to issue assembly permits for social protest in the Square under the claim that since last year the Square, a historic public space, has been privatized. Consequently, demonstrators have routinely staged unlicensed protests in the Square. Regardless, it should be noted that Israel Police avoided any confrontation with the demonstrators in the Square. e) July 27, 2012 (~2:00am) - according to eye-witnesses there were at least two incidents of disruption of public order, or violence on the southern block of HaRav Kook Street, abutting the Square. In one of these incidents, two adult males apparently conducted bodily search on juveniles. The conduct was unusual enough to be considered by a passerby a robbery. The passerby called the Israel Police emergency line. As it eventually turned out, the conduct, which is likely to be considered abuse of the Human Rights of minors, was apparently by undercover agents, stationed at 1 Aribstobulus Street, Jerusalem, Youth at Risk [Yamar, Noar Hasifah] f) July 27, 2012 (~3:00pm) according to eye witnesses, a falling glass bottle exploded and almost hit a person standing on the square. The incident, which took place before the start of the long 9 of Av weekend, was peculiarly similar to the falling object incident of May 2012.

g) July 30, 2012 attempt was made to report the incidents of recent days, and the overall pattern of events. At the suggestion of Rav Pakad Roni Polinger, Commander of Harel Station, who happened to be present at the City Center Station, the Duty Officer (Yomanai) was asked for information regarding the weekly Public Audience Hour of the City Center Station Commander. The Duty Officer, who took care of all other requests, refused to provide the information, claiming that he was only a substitute Duty Officer, and as such was not permitted to provide such information. 2. Conclusions The evidence strongly suggests: a) Public Safety in the Zion Square area is deficient. b) The Israel Police has deliberately refused to investigate some of the most significant violations of Public Safety in the Square over the past half year with no reasonable explanation, although the incidents were of the nature of sabotage attempts [Nisayon Pigua]. c) Civilian agencies have attempted to restrict the rights to Free Speech and Free Assembly in the Square, a historic public space. Israel Police has not enforced such policies. However, law enforcement of the State of Israel is increasingly using the public space for parking of vehicles and motorcycles. d) Undercover operations and unwarranted surveillance are conducted by law enforcement of the State of Israel in the Zion Square area. Some of such conduct is likely to be deemed in violation of Human Rights, or worse - staging of provocations. 3. Recommendations a) Continuing the non-enforcement or recent decisions, reported by media, to restrict the Peoples rights to Free Speech and Free Assembly in the Squares public space; b) Establishing ongoing presence of lightly armed Israel Police, on foot, as necessary to maintain Public Safety, while ending the use of the Squares public space for parking of law enforcement vehicles and motorcycles, unless for a specific need in that location at that time; c) Avoiding the use of undercover agents and operatives, or unwarranted surveillance. LINKS: [1] 12-05-06 Criminal complaint (No 189216/2012) filed with Israel Police, Jerusalem District, against "Haim/Yoel/Shmuel", a suspected undercover and/or operative, for Harassment, Threats, Attempt to Harm Police Officers on Duty s http://www.scribd.com/doc/92580152/ [2] 12-06-20 Addendum to Criminal Complaint (189216/2012) (Heb +Eng) http://www.scribd.com/doc/97727121/