The report of a recent Golan Heights cannabis bust that the Israel Police posted
on its official Facebook page – which has almost 65,000 followers – may have
undone some of the efforts the force has been making to improve its image via
social media.
“The grass is greener on the other side,” began the police
entry describing how officers searching a home in the Golan village of Bnei
Yehuda noticed cannabis plants growing freely in a neighbor’s yard. Officers
took away the plants, as well as seeds, a kilogram of dried marijuana and
smoking paraphernalia they found.
The responses? “A waste of police
time,” wrote one follower named Tom. His reply received 27 Likes.
“Again
you’re doing bad things. Please go back to helping the public that pays your
salaries, and stop harassing us,” wrote Eli. “This man did not harm a living
soul.”
“I feel like crying; what a waste of stuff,” wrote
Tzippi.
“The time has come for this godly plant to be made
legal.”
Other users, like Itzik, presented legal arguments against the
raid.
“The state prosecution has made it clear it will not prosecute
cannabis users.... So why do you continue to search for small quantities?” he
asked. “To me, this looks like harassment, and it’s one of the reasons why
public opinion of the police is so low. And it’s a shame, because if we put this
lack of logic aside, I’m proud of you.”