Criminal9/25/2026

Avishai Harel: Escape Aboard a Cruise Ship, a Police Officer's Gunfire, and 59 Months in Prison

In September 1978, Avishai Harel, who had been released on bail and failed to appear in court, secretly left Israel aboard the Italian ship “Espresso Livorno,” using another person’s documents. After the ship returned to Haifa, he tried to hide on its funnel and was seriously wounded by a police officer’s gunfire.

Key facts

•Ship’s return to Haifa: September 26, 1978
•Sentence: 59 months in prison
•Hospital after the injury: Rambam
•Early release: End of 1981
•Case number and court name not stated
•Applicable legal provisions not stated

How Harel Got Aboard the Ship

Harel boarded the ship with journalist Gila Wertman after presenting the documents of press photographer Eviatar Goren. Two days later, it emerged that the real Goren was not aboard and that Harel, who was wanted in Israel, had used his name. The captain did not allow him to disembark in Greece or Italy and informed the Israeli authorities that he would return him to Haifa.

Why He Was Wanted

During the voyage, Harel was out on bail and had for three weeks failed to appear at the trial that had begun against him. He sent the judge a letter claiming that he was in hiding because the police were pursuing him in another case. Orders prohibiting him from leaving the country also remained in effect, but the source does not state the case numbers, the name of the court, or the legal basis for those orders.

The Shooting at Haifa Port

On September 26, 1978, the “Espresso Livorno” returned to Haifa, and police officers boarded it. After a lengthy search, one of them spotted Harel climbing the ship’s funnel. When he failed to comply with demands to come down, the police officer fired into the air, but the bullet struck Harel in the head; he was taken in serious condition to Rambam Hospital, where he underwent several operations.

Sentencing and Release

From his hospital bed, Harel claimed that he had wanted to leave Israel to settle debts and that he had not intended to exploit the journalist; Wertman was also arrested but was released a few days later. During the trial, the attorney claimed that Harel’s memory had been impaired by the injury. The court sentenced him to 59 months in prison, but the source does not state the classification of the offenses or the grounds for the sentence. At the end of 1981, Harel was released early for good behavior.

What this means for you

The story shows that release on bail and an order prohibiting departure from Israel remain in effect regardless of the method used to cross the border, and that using another person’s documents does not eliminate the risk of arrest and criminal prosecution. However, the source does not state whether the lawfulness of the police gunfire was examined or whether the injury led to separate proceedings or compensation; therefore, no conclusions should be drawn from this case regarding modern rules on the use of firearms.

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Case analysis based on court rulings