Israeli Diplomat’s Son Charged for Hitting Florida Cop on Bike

Updated on 2nd February 2024: The U.S. Department of State has verified that Avraham Gil, whose father is an Israeli consul in Miami, does not possess immunity in the criminal case where he’s accused of hitting a police officer with his motorbike. As per the government’s statement, “The dependent of an Israeli consular officer doesn’t have civil or criminal immunity.” As previously noted, the so-called “consular immunity” referenced by Gil’s lawyer in court carries far fewer shields compared to immunity given to diplomatic agents. The State Department highlights that consuls like his father, Eli Gil, and their immediate family aren’t immune to criminal charges in their host country. The Miami-Dade County State Attorney’s Office is continuing its investigation against Avraham Gil. His lawyer, David Seltzer, insists his client didn’t deliberately hit the officer.
The original news story follows.
The adolescent son of an Israeli diplomat stands accused of a felony assault charge; he reportedly struck a Sunny Isles Beach police officer with his motorcycle. As per a police report acquired by New Times, Avraham Gil allegedly advanced towards the officer on his bike and purposefully ran over him during a traffic stop. The policeman reportedly suffered an injury to his leg. Police took Gil into custody with charges of aggravated battery on a police officer and resisting arrest. Additionally, authorities say his motorcycle lacked a license plate and Gil drove it without a valid license. “It should be noted that Avraham spontaneously uttered that he was sorry and that he was just driving in between vehicles to cut in front of the line because he hates waiting behind traffic,” the report states.
click to enlarge Reports suggest a police officer suffered a severe leg injury after colliding with a 19-year-old motorist. A photo released by Sunny Isles Beach police shows the teenager, appearing to be in a troubled state. He was subsequently released on his own recognizance, with his arraignment set for February 26th. Avraham Gil, reportedly the son of Eli Gil – a diplomat in Miami’s Israeli Consulate, allegedly attempted to invoke “consular immunity” due to his father’s consulate role in a court hearing.
click to enlarge Booking photo for Avraham Gil Sunny Isles Beach Police photo
As per the Department of State, consular immunity extends limited protection to consular officers from criminal prosecution related to their official duties. Still, it doesn’t ensure the same sweeping immunity given to fully-qualified diplomatic agents, who generally escape prosecution by their host country. Based on LinkedIn, it appears Eli Gil is an alumnus of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and has served as a diplomat for decades.
This story is developing. Please stay tuned for updates.