Judge orders settlement coordinator into house arrest after car shooting

The Jerusalem District Court moved Pinchas Ran from jail to house arrest on Tuesday, rejecting the state's request to keep him in custody while his trial preparation continues. The 37-year-old security coordinator for the area near Itamar is charged with seriously wounding a Palestinian woman by shooting at her car.

Judge Elad Persky ordered Ran to serve his pre-trial confinement in the Golan Heights. The ruling cited Ran's clean criminal record and his military service. The judge noted that prosecutors failed to prove a specific risk that Ran would interfere with the legal process after the indictment was filed on Friday.

The indictment details events from September 18, when Ran allegedly entered the Palestinian village of Akraba near Nablus in an armed Ranger vehicle. This location was outside his assigned jurisdiction. Prosecutors state that military officials had previously warned him to stay within his area and follow rules regarding the use of firearms after several unusual incidents.

Inside the village, Ran allegedly stopped people and checked their ID cards without legal authority. He then ordered the driver of a Mazda carrying a married couple to stop. The driver accelerated because he feared violence, noting that the men in the Ranger were not soldiers and that one was masked. Ran reportedly fired at least three shots at the departing vehicle with the intent to hit the occupants.

Two bullets struck the car and the woman, identified as Aseel Bani Jaber. One bullet entered her upper back and lodged in her lung near her heart, while the other hit near her buttock. She underwent surgery to remove the bullets and stayed in a hospital for several days. Prosecutors also allege Ran returned to the scene to collect cartridge cases and later denied being present when officials questioned him about the shooting.

Ran's defense disputes the prosecution's timeline. His legal team, represented by the Honenu organization, claims a vehicle without license plates tried to ram their car. They say Ran fired into the air to force the other vehicle to stop after the two men jumped aside. The defense submitted letters from former commanders describing Ran's character and combat conduct. One commander noted that Ran returned to reserve service after his brother was killed on October 7, 2023.

Ran's lawyer, Nati Rom, welcomed the decision to switch to house arrest and asked prosecutors to reconsider the case. A preliminary hearing is set for November 12.