Israel’s ‘ring of fire’ trial: I didn’t set any fires near Netanyahu’s home

When the war in Gaza reached its 700th day last year, demonstrators across Israel took to the streets to demand that the government secure the return of hostages and end the war. But when protesters set a ‘ring of fire’ near Benjamin Netanyahu’s home, the prime minister went on the offensive. Now, with just weeks before elections that threaten Netanyahu’s coalition government, five suspects accused of arson in the politically charged case are on trial. One of the accused, who even the court acknowledges didn’t set any fires, explains how the future of Israel’s democracy is at stake.

Priyanka Chandani Sinha

3 weeks ago
September 16, 2026

9 min read

War

g Burned vehicle and recycling bin after fires near Benjamin Netanyahu’s Jerusalem home during antigovernment protests

The aftermath of the “ring of fire” near Netanyahu’s home, including the destruction of a vehicle owned by an IDF reservist. (credit: Israel Police)

Journalist’s Notes

By Priyanka Chandani Sinha

Netanyahu and the ‘ring of fire’

Nearly two years after the deadly Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, Israeli citizens were becoming increasingly frustrated with the ensuing war on Gaza launched by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Some 65 percent of Israelis – including both Jews and Arabs – believed that the war’s main objective should be securing the return of the 251 hostages taken by Hamas, according to a survey by the Israeli Democracy Institute. About half of both Jewish and Arab respondents said they believed that the operation would not succeed in bringing the hostages back. And on September 3, 2025 – the 700-day anniversary of the Hamas attack – nationwide protests erupted to push the government to work out a hostage deal and end the Gaza war.
Fires were set by demonstrators throughout Jerusalem that day to make their demands clear. But when recycling bins were set alight in the vicinity of Netanyahu’s private residence in the upscale neighborhood of Rehavia, it hit particularly close to home for the prime minister.
In a video statement released the same day, Netanyahu denounced what he called a dangerous escalation of antigovernment protests. While saying that “in a democracy, demonstrations are legitimate,” he alleged that these were purely political. And Netanyahu claimed that the people behind them, whom he likened to “fascist gangs,” had threatened to surround his home with a “ring of fire.”
In the weeks that followed, seven people were arrested and jailed on suspicion of plotting and carrying out a conspiracy to light six recycling bins on fire. Not all of the six recycling bins were actually set alight, and all of the “ignition points” were located more than a block and a half away from Netanyahu’s home, according to the court documents. But the situation immediately sparked a political blame game. Netanyahu’s allies linked the fires to the opposition protests. The opposition condemned the fires but criticized the government for not reaching a deal to free the last of the hostages (which was ultimately worked out more than a month later).
Critics on one side have warned that the government is punishing people merely for exercising their democratic right to protest, while donations have poured in from the other to help the family of a reservist of the Israeli Defense Forces whose car was destroyed by the fires.
In this environment – just weeks before October 27 parliamentary elections that could threaten Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition government – the trial of five of the suspects began.
All five face serious charges in their trial at the District Court of Jerusalem. In what defense lawyers describe as a dragnet, all were charged with arson despite the fact that prosecutors acknowledge that one drove other suspects to the scene but did not start a fire, while another allegedly planned to start a fire, but decided against at the last minute.

More About the Interview Subject:

Uri Tyroler is the suspect who is accused by state prosecutors of arson despite deciding against starting a fire. He was imprisoned for seven days following his arrest, and spent eight months under house arrest before being freed shortly before his trial.
Tyroler is an Israeli army veteran who is now in his 60s but spent years serving in the military, including 530 days as a combat soldier during the Gaza war. Despite his military background and belief that Israel was justified in going to war to topple Hamas, Tyroler has become an outspoken critic of the government’s handling of the war.
In his interview with Orato First-Person News, he described himself as an Israeli patriot who also wants to see the lives of innocent Palestinian civilians protected, and as someone who is willing to fight for his democratic right to protest.

I have fought all my life. I am Jewish, and a soldier who served Israel in combat for 530 days. I am trained to protect my country, and to confront an enemy when necessary. But most importantly I am willing to fight for what is right.

I am among the Israelis who participated in nationwide antigovernment protests that took place last year on the 700th day of the war in Gaza. I joined the protests because I believed that the government was purposely allowing the war to continue for domestic political reasons, and that it wasn’t doing enough to bring the hostages from the October 7 attack that started the war back home. We wanted the hostages to be returned, and the war to end.

Several actions were carried out during the demonstration in Jerusalem that day, including the burning of garbage bins. One of my friends and I were there, but we did not set fire to the garbage bins.

Close-up portrait of Israeli army veteran Uri Tyroler

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A police investigation showed that we didn’t start any fires. But the prosecution, a government authority, decided to pursue charges against us anyway. We were taken into custody even though the authorities knew we had not carried out the act we were being accused of.

I was put in jail for seven days. After that, I was placed under house arrest for about eight months. I have had plenty of time to think about what happened to me, but it isn’t about me – it’s about Israel upholding moral values. In the end, I am an Israeli patriot.

Even when you fight, you have to protect civilians

The massacre on October 7 [led by Hamas militants who crossed the border from Gaza] was horrible and it is unforgivable. But fighting an enemy doesn’t mean you stop being humane. When you fight, you still have to protect civilians. You have to know the line between protecting yourself and hurting innocent people. It’s a moral and legal obligation under the rules of war.

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Israel had a right to defend itself. We had to fight because our country was attacked and they were trying to destroy Israel. But it doesn’t mean that you have to kill innocent people, which the Israeli government was doing very freely. And moral values also mean that you have to get your people, the hostages, back immediately.

We were also protesting for the innocent Palestinian civilians living in Gaza. They are also human beings. They deserve to live peacefully. But the Israeli government is not accepting that what the protesters were saying was right.

Prison changed my view of society

There is a lot of stress on your family when you go to jail, but they knew it would be a piece of cake for me. I was trained for that as a soldier, so I was mentally prepared. But it is not good to be in a situation of humiliation when you have done nothing wrong.

I was handcuffed and jail is horrible – I felt pity for the others who were there. They are broken people and there is no chance for rehabilitation, the government puts them in jail and makes them criminals. But in a way it was an enlightening experience. It made me question Western society, the number of prisoners in the United States, how we put people in jail so easily.

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It was unsettling while in jail because I had no way to act. But now that my house arrest has ended I will do whatever I can to protest against this horrible government. My case is still going on, so who knows what could happen. But the only thing I am afraid of is the possibility that my grandchildren will have to live in a society that doesn’t function properly – in a society that starts unnecessary fights, that makes unnecessary wars, that puts people in jail for no reason.

In the time I have left I want to use my power to act. My main aim in life is to help remedy society, so people can start being kind and compassionate to each other.

FAQs

What are the five defendants in Israel’s ‘ring of fire’ trial accused of?

Five men stand accused of conspiring to set fires near Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s home on September 3, 2025, the date of nationwide antigovernment protests. They are charged with arson, malicious destruction of property, and obstruction of justice.

What were the protests about?

The protests were held on the 700-day mark of the war in Gaza, when public frustration was high over the government’s failure to secure the release of hostages taken by Hamas in the October 7, 2023, attack that started the war. Protesters also accused the government of continuing the war for political reasons, and demanded an end to the conflict.

Why is the trial controversial?

The trial is controversial because it comes amid a politically charged environment, just weeks before crucial parliamentary elections. But it also has raised concerns because even the prosecution acknowledges that two of the defendants, including Army veteran Uri Tyroler, never set any fires near Netanyahu’s home.

And who is Uri Tyroler?

Tyroler is an Israeli army combat veteran who is an outspoken critic of the government’s handling of the Gaza war. While he still faces a stiff sentence on arson charges, he has vowed to continue to fight for his democratic right to protest and against what he sees as the government’s inhumane and illegal treatment of Palestinians and Israelis alike.