The former commander of the Ayalon Prison in Ramle was pressured by National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and figures in the Israel Prisons Services to unjustly better some conditions of some Jewish security inmates tied to Jewish terrorism, or to criminals with high public profiles, IPS Junior Commissioner Shai Parnasah argued in a petition to the High Court of Justice on Sunday.
His lawyers called for a conditional order from the court to freeze and reexamine what got Parnasah fired from his position, which he argued was due to his insistence on upholding the law. The petition was filed against Ben-Gvir, IPS chief Kobi Yaakobi, Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara, State Attorney Amit Aisman, and the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency), among others.
Parnasah argued that because he refused to cooperate, a sexual assault case was brought against him. The case was eventually closed for lack of criminality, and Paranasah was ruled out as a suspect, though he was charged in an IPS disciplinary court. Because of the case, he was removed from his position and finished his service.
This was done without the necessary authority, and while two of the judges who charged him in the IPS court had the same rank as him, the petition reads.
The petition includes around 40 screenshots of WhatsApp messages and meeting notes, which present a steady pressure from above. For example, Parnasah said he refused to move Amiram Ben Uliel out of solitary confinement and to allow him visitors. Ben Uliel is responsible for the Duma arson terrorist attack in 2015 that killed the Palestinian Dawabshe family.
A different IPS officer complained to Parnasah that Ben Uliel did not get the personal items he requested, and received a meal “without vegetables.” Another one requested that a meeting between Ben Uliel and his wife be extended beyond the slotted time.
In a different instance, Parnasah received requests to allow for two Jewish prisoners who attacked Palestinian women to be able to hug their children longer than what is allotted, and for their children to bring them items from the cafe.
Parnasah would be willing to take a polygraph test to prove his honesty
His lawyers argued to have him restored to his position, as everything he did was in accordance with the law, and that Parnasah would even be willing to take a polygraph test to prove his reliability and honesty.
Ben-Gvir's office noted that Parnasah “admitted he tried to force himself on a young prison guard” and that the office takes sexual assault cases very seriously.
IPS took a similar stance, noting that the termination of Parnasah's role within the organization was warranted, and that the conditions of Jewish security prisoners are coordinated with the Shin Bet.