Criminal9/25/2026

Court Rules Suspicion That Two Salt Shakers Were Thrown Toward Naftali Bennett Has a Basis

Eliyah Azard, a resident of Bnei Brak, is suspected of throwing two salt shakers toward the table where former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett was seated. The court ruled that the statement of the police officer who was at the scene was sufficient to establish suspicion at the investigative stage, but shortened the detention period by one day.

Key facts

•The suspect: Eliyah Azard, a resident of Bnei Brak
•The injured party: former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett
•The courts: the Tel Aviv Magistrate's Court and the Tel Aviv District Court
•On appeal, the detention period was shortened until Sunday
•No case number or applicable statutory provisions were mentioned

What Happened

According to the police account, at around 23:50, two salt shakers were thrown inside a restaurant in Bnei Brak, and one of them struck the wall with force. Police argued that had they hit someone, they could have caused bodily harm. A police officer who was at the scene detained Azard and stated that he had witnessed the throwing itself.

The Positions of the Police and the Defense

The police representative described the incident as an attempt to harm a public figure and argued that the suspect posed a significant danger. The defense, in contrast, argued that the moment of the throwing does not appear in the circulated video, that many people were present in the restaurant, and that the evidence linking Azard to the incident was insufficient. The attorney requested his release under an alternative to detention and a ban on publishing his name.

Magistrate's Court Decision

Tel Aviv Magistrate's Court Judge Adi Nir Binyamini ruled that reasonable suspicion existed, based primarily on the police officer's report. According to his statement, he saw Azard throw the two salt shakers and immediately approached him. The judge ruled that this information was sufficient at the current stage, found that he posed a danger, and initially extended his detention until Monday.

The Appeal and Shortening of the Detention Period

Tel Aviv District Court Judge Shmuel Melamed rejected the defense's argument that the evidentiary basis was weak. He referred to the memorandum by the police officer who witnessed the throwing and detained the suspect immediately afterward. Nevertheless, given the limited number of remaining investigative actions, the court shortened the detention period by one day—to Sunday—and rejected the request to ban publication of Azard's name, emphasizing that at this stage the matter remained merely a suspicion and not an indictment.

What this means for you

At the detention-extension stage, the court is not required to make a final determination of guilt; a statement by a police officer who was an eyewitness may be sufficient to establish reasonable suspicion and allow the investigation to continue. Nevertheless, the length of detention must be proportionate to the scope of the remaining investigative actions. Publication of the suspect's name does not mean that an indictment has been filed against him or that his guilt has been established.

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Case analysis based on court rulings