Despite police requests to maintain restrictive conditions, the Jerusalem Magistrate's Court ordered the release of Fahri Khatib today, the driver involved in the fatal incident that claimed the life of Haredi teenager Yosef Eisental.
The court rejected the police’s petition to extend Khatib’s house arrest by an additional seven days, allowing him to be released without further confinement.
The incident occurred last week during a massive anti-draft protest in Jerusalem. Yosef Eisental was struck and killed by a bus driven by Khatib.
The investigation has been fraught with tension:
- The "Security Prisoner" Uniform: During a previous hearing, Khatib appeared in court wearing the uniform of a security prisoner. His attorney questioned the choice of attire, given that the police had already dropped the initial suspicion of murder. Representatives from the Israel Prison Service (IPS) reportedly responded that those were the only uniforms available at the time.
- Downgraded Charges: While initial suspicions were severe, the investigation is currently focusing on traffic-related offenses or negligence rather than a deliberate nationalist attack.
Police investigators argued today that they required another week of house arrest to complete essential investigative actions. However, the judge determined that there was no longer a sufficient basis to keep Khatib under confinement while the probe continues.
The driver’s legal team had previously filed an appeal to the District Court, arguing that the lower court had erred in its original decision to extend his detention, claiming the evidence did not support continued incarceration.
The release comes as the Haredi community continues to mourn the loss of Eisental. Images from the funeral, attended by thousands, have become a symbol of the high emotions surrounding the incident and the ongoing draft protests in the capital.
The police spokesperson’s office stated that "the investigation is still ongoing" and that they are working to exhaust all leads to reach the truth of the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.
