The release of the footage has sparked immediate political backlash. Yitzhak Goldknopf, Chairman of United Torah Judaism, contacted National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir early Wednesday morning, demanding a criminal probe.
"The new documentation, in which the bus driver is seen accelerating toward the group of protesters while passengers scream that he is 'rampaging,' leaves no room for doubt that this action was done with malice," Goldknopf stated.
According to Goldknopf, Minister Ben-Gvir views the incident with "great severity" and promised that the police would investigate until the truth comes out, emphasizing that "the blood of our Haredi brothers is not cheap."
The victim, Naftali Tzvi Kramer, was a resident of Jerusalem and a standout student at the Satmar Yeshiva in Komemiyut. He was reportedly returning to the yeshiva after participating in a protest against court-ordered autopsies, a sensitive issue that has ignited demonstrations across the country.
Emergency responders from MDA and United Hatzalah arrived at the scene to find Kramer unconscious with severe head trauma. Despite prolonged resuscitation efforts, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
While the police initially insisted there was "no connection between the accident and the demonstration," the new evidence suggests the driver may have been reacting to the protesters on the road, raising the possibility of road rage or criminal negligence.
Despite the disturbing footage, the Israel Police announced on Wednesday that, following consultation with the State Attorney's Office, there is currently no suspicion that the driver intentionally ran over the victim.
Instead, the bus driver will be brought to court for a remand hearing on suspicion of reckless homicide, causing death by negligence, and endangering human life on a traffic route.
