Left-wing Israeli activist Itamar Greenberg has accused the Israel Prison Service (IPS) of subjecting him to humiliating treatment during his recent detention, including being forced to wear a shirt with a nationalist slogan and receiving threats of violence.
Greenberg, 19, was arrested on May 24 during an anti-war protest in Tel Aviv, where demonstrators briefly blocked a major road. A conscientious objector who has previously served nearly 200 days in military prison, Greenberg was taken into custody and interrogated on charges of disturbing the peace and public order.
He was first brought to the Lev Tel Aviv police station, then transferred to the Glilot station, before returning to Lev Tel Aviv. Eventually, he was handed over to the IPS and taken to the Tel Aviv Magistrate’s Court for a hearing.
According to Greenberg, upon arrival at the courthouse, IPS officers mocked and threatened him. “They said things like, ‘You’re the worst terrorists, you leftists. We’ll put you in a cell with Arabs and illegal migrants,’” he recounted.
Officers reportedly reacted aggressively to the shirt Greenberg wore during his arrest, which bore a bilingual slogan reading “No to war, yes to peace” in Hebrew and Arabic. Greenberg claimed he was strip-searched and then forced to wear a gray shirt inscribed with “Am Yisrael Chai” (“The Nation of Israel Lives”) and a drawing of the Israeli flag, marked in blue ink. He also recalled hearing an officer brag about having drawn the symbols on the shirt.
During the court hearing, Judge Ravit Peleg Bar-Dayan noted the incident and ordered the matter be brought to the attention of a senior IPS official. Greenberg’s lawyer, Ramzi Ktilat, condemned the shirt as an attempt to shame his client, stating the IPS has increasingly used nationalist slogans to degrade detainees viewed as opposing the ongoing war since October 7.
The judge ultimately rejected police requests to extend Greenberg’s detention by three days and ordered his release. He was barred from attending unauthorized protests for one month, under penalty of a NIS 5,500 fine.
Allegations of Threats and Humiliation
After the hearing, Greenberg said he was returned to a basement cell, where officers continued to harass him. “They told me, ‘We’ll turn you into a far-right winger with a kippa and a Star of David. Come put on tefillin. Are you even circumcised?’” he said.
A senior IPS officer, identified by the title “platoon commander” on her uniform, allegedly photographed Greenberg with her phone, leading him to believe she was documenting the incident. However, before his release, another officer challenged his right to wear the shirt they had forced upon him. Greenberg insisted on keeping it, demanding documentation of what he described as humiliation.
“I told them, ‘You embarrassed me, and I want proof,’” he said. One officer allegedly responded, “I hope you get kidnapped,” while the senior officer added, “Amen, go to Gaza. Have fun in the tunnels.” Greenberg also claimed he was threatened with the same treatment reportedly given to a Palestinian detainee — having a Star of David tattooed on his face.
“This was my fourth arrest since leaving military prison,” Greenberg said. “But what stood out most is that the kind of abuse Palestinians routinely face is now being directed at Jewish activists as well.”
IPS Response and Investigation
In response to a request for comment, the Israel Prison Service stated that Greenberg was asked to change shirts for his own safety due to the Arabic writing on his clothing, which could provoke tension with other detainees. Regarding the claim that writing had been added to his replacement shirt, the IPS said the matter would be investigated, and disciplinary action would be taken if necessary.
“The IPS emphasizes that its personnel act according to the law, equally and without bias, while safeguarding the rights and safety of every detainee and prisoner,” the statement read.
The IPS did not address allegations involving threats, insults, or the unauthorized photographing of Greenberg. However, on May 27, the service announced that the IPS Commissioner had ordered the appointment of an investigating officer and the immediate removal of the guard involved, pending the outcome of the investigation.
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