Far-right activist Mordechai David has been barred from contacting former Supreme Court president Aharon Barak or any other individuals involved in the blocking of Barak’s car last week.
David was questioned on Sunday in connection with a series of complaints on suspicion of disturbing public order, trespass, and assault, the Israel Police reported Monday.
Following questioning by police, David was released on restrictive conditions, including a 30-day ban on contacting anyone involved in the incident and release on personal recognizance terms.
David has a short but storied history of harassing journalists. He escalated his conduct several weeks ago, when he and another activist, Roi Star, allegedly attacked the partner of left-wing social activist Sigal Shukrun at her home.
According to police complaints, the two suspects struck the man with a metal rod after he came outside and asked them to leave.
Last week in Tel Aviv, David and several other men, some of them masked, blocked Barak’s car as he was being driven by his daughter while leaving a conference organized by the Movement for Quality Government in Israel.
Barak - the 'dark dictator'
David filmed the encounter and circulated it online to his followers, referring to Barak as a “dark dictator.” Barak’s daughter later filed a police report.
Barak, 89, is a Holocaust survivor and one of Israel’s most prominent jurists. He served as president of the Supreme Court from 1995-2006 and retired from the bench nearly two decades ago. In 2024, he agreed to serve as Israel’s ad hoc judge at the International Court of Justice during proceedings initiated by South Africa.
In recent months, David has been involved in multiple confrontations with journalists and public figures identified with criticism of the government.
A few months ago, following hearings in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s criminal trial, David tracked and followed independent journalist Or-ly Barlev to her car and Channel 13 correspondent Aviad Glickman to a train station.
He has also confronted Channel 12 reporter Guy Peleg over his reporting on the Sde Teiman detention facility leak.