The Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court rejected far-left activist Guy Hirschfeld’s petition last week for a restraining order against the Zionist organization Im Tirtzu, which has been filming Hirschfeld’s interactions with Israeli soldiers.
Hirschfeld, a vocal member of the far-left organization Ta’ayush, frequently films and harasses Israeli soldiers and Jewish residents of Judea and Samaria, the latter of whom he has labeled “Jewish garbage” and “Judeo-Nazis.”
During one such confrontation reported last year by Israel’s Kan public broadcaster, Hirschfeld launched into a racist diatribe against an Israeli soldier of Ethiopian descent, telling him to “return to his pen” in Ethiopia.
Recently, members of Im Tirtzu, led by the organization’s project coordinator, Yehuda Sharabany, have been filming and uploading videos of Hirschfeld’s activities to social media, which have been viewed hundreds of thousands of times.
Last month, members of Im Tirtzu together with wounded Israel Defense Forces’ veterans protested outside of Hirschfeld’s home and distributed flyers to residents of the community with information about Hirschfeld’s anti-IDF activities.
Hirschfeld responded by filing a restraining order against Im Tirtzu, which was rejected by the court on the basis that the NGO’s activities constituted a legitimate democratic tool.
“These circumstances do not justify granting a restraining order,” wrote judge Michal Sharvit.
“Many times the petitioner [Hirschfeld] approached the camera lens of the respondent [Im Tirtzu] and laughed, sometimes sang, in a manner that indicates that he was not concerned or harassed by the respondent,” continued Sharvit. “In another instance, [Hirschfeld] said, ‘Who am I afraid of, the Jewish garbage? Do you think I am afraid of garbage like you?’ ”
Sharabany thanked the judge, and said that “so long as Hirschfeld continues to harass IDF soldiers, we will be there to expose him, and ensure that the people of Israel know who he is and what he’s doing.”
“Hirschfeld’s hypocritical attempt to prevent us from exposing his anti-Israel actions is a disgrace,” continued Sharabany, “but as long as he’s using his energy to attack us rather than IDF soldiers, we are pleased.”
