Settlement security chief moves to house arrest after court ruling

Pinchas Ran, a 37-year-old security coordinator for the West Bank settlement area near Itamar, will serve his pretrial detention under house arrest in the Golan Heights. The Jerusalem District Court issued the order on Tuesday, moving him out of jail as his case proceeds. Judge Elad Persky cited Ran's lack of prior criminal history and his military service as key factors in the decision. The judge also noted that prosecutors had not demonstrated a concrete risk of interference now that an indictment is on file.

The legal action follows an incident on September 18, when Ran allegedly drove a Ranger off-road vehicle into the Palestinian village of Akraba, near Nablus. Prosecutors state he was outside his assigned jurisdiction at the time and was accompanied by an armed career soldier. Military officials had previously warned Ran to stay within his jurisdiction and follow firearms procedures after several unusual incidents occurred in the area.

According to the indictment filed on Friday, Ran stopped passersby to check identity cards without legal authority. He then signaled for a Mazda carrying a married couple to stop. The driver accelerated, fearing violence because the men were not uniformed soldiers and one wore a mask. The indictment claims Ran fired at least three shots at the moving vehicle, intending to hit the occupants. Two bullets struck the car and the woman, Aseel Bani Jaber. One bullet entered her upper back and lodged near her heart, while the other hit near her buttock. She underwent surgery to remove the bullets and remained hospitalized for several days.

Prosecutors also allege Ran obstructed justice by returning to the scene to collect cartridge cases. When security officials later inquired about a shooting in the area, Ran reportedly said he had not heard of it and had not been present. He faces charges of causing serious injury with aggravated intent and obstruction of justice.

Ran rejects the prosecution's version of events. His legal team, the organization Honenu, states that a vehicle without license plates drove toward them in what they believed was an attempted ramming. They claim the two men jumped out of the way and Ran fired into the air to stop the car. The defense submitted letters from commanders describing Ran's reserve service and combat conduct. One former battalion commander noted that Ran returned to service after his brother was killed on October 7, 2023.

Ran's attorney, Nati Rom, welcomed the court's decision and asked prosecutors to reconsider the case. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for November 12.

The court order takes effect immediately, allowing Ran to reside in the Golan Heights under specific conditions while the trial preparation continues.