Guy Hirschfeld, a well-known extreme left-wing activist who has primarily operated in the Jordan Valley in recent years, regularly files complaints with authorities about alleged illegal construction by Jewish residents and works against what he calls illegal outposts. In short, he is a champion of the rule of law.
However, HaKol HaYehudi has found that at his personal residence in the moshav of Eshtaol near Beit Shemesh, Hirschfeld has allegedly committed severe building violations. These include converting a residential house into multiple housing units without a permit, adding living space to the ground floor without a permit, and even encroaching on public space without authorization.
The local planning and building committee in the Mateh Yehuda Regional Council has been pursuing legal action against Hirschfeld and his mother for three years in relation to these violations.
About four months ago, the Beit Shemesh Magistrate's Court granted an order that allowed Regional Council building inspectors to enter Hirschfeld's property against his will.
Hirschfeld currently lives in Eshtaol in the ground floor of his house, while the upper floor is rented to another family. According to the claims, Hirschfeld expanded the ground floor by about 12 square meters and also encroached on public open space by constructing a wooden deck and fence of about 14 square meters.
Hirschfeld has been active for years in the radical left-wing organization Ta’ayush and, more recently, has been a leader for the group "Looking the Occupation in the Eye." He refers to anarchist Ezra Nawi as his "mentor."
HaKol HaYehudi previously revealed reports from other left-wing activists who worked with Hirschfeld in the Jordan Valley. They noted that local Bedouins accused Hirschfeld of threatening to hand them over to the Palestinian Authority for collaborating with Jewish settlers if they did not comply with his demands.
We contacted Hirschfeld for a response, but have not received one We will publish his response once it is received.
