Sir, - At about 10:15 p.m. on Monday, Dr. Ernest Bloch, president of the Pro Israel organization in the US, and I passed by chance through Paris Square in front of the prime minister's residence. We caught the end of a demonstration protesting the killing of two Kiryat Arba residents the day before. I saw five or six police bullies manhandling a demonstrator like a punching bag.

Another policeman approached me inquiring what I was doing. When I told him I was just watching, he ordered me to go away. I said again, "I'm just watching." He retorted, "Oh, yeah! You're under arrest." Suddenly I found myself thrown next to the police jeep. A policeman emerged beside me. Another shot a picture of us, and shoved me in through the back door. I found myself sitting next to two 14-or 15-year-old minors and two policemen. One of the latter handcuffed me.

I could see my guest Dr. Bloch waving his hand at me. I tried to return a smile bowing with my handcuffed wrists.

From my little window inside the jeep I saw a man start yelling: "Police state! police state!" He could not utter the words a third time, as a policeman grabbed and arrested him.

I was taken to the Russian Compound, the first stop for criminals. There I was interviewed by three different policemen, while Commander Miki Levi strolled around. I was told that I was being charged with active intervention to prevent arrests of demonstrators by policemen.

A concerned friend arranged a deal with the police that the commander would release me if I signed a declaration that I would not again participate in illegal demonstrations for three months. I said "thanks but no." I could not agree to sign a declaration for an act that I did not commit.

The last policemen to interview me read the charges and asked for my response. I said, "I did not commit any of the acts I am accused of, and request my immediate release." He said tersely, "You are to be imprisoned for 48 hours." The verdict was final.

I was then taken to the jail by the same guy who had arrested me, who said, "You know I am sorry if I hurt you. My commander Miki Levi pointed at you and asked for your arrest. I was just doing my duty."

In jail I went through the usual routine with the rest of the night's crop of arrested citizens. I was told that most of them were there on drug-related burglary charges. At about 1 a.m., after picture taking and body searches, I was led with two other demonstrators to my jail room for the night.

The room was full beyond capacity. With myself and another demonstrator (who was arrested on his bicycle! ) we were altogether nine with eight stone beds to sleep on. The jail guards ignored the request for a blanket. So two of my jail mates lay on the stone. Seeing this, one of the veterans took off his blanket and gave it to the demonstrator to provide him a softer sleep.

At about 8: 30 next morning a guard opened the door and called the demonstrators out. After being fingerprinted, and photographed again, we left the place. The demonstrators arrested with me had a contagious optimism. I'll miss them.

One of the newspapermen who interviewed me after my release told me that the police spokesman is saying I had tried to beat up policemen and resisted arrest. Why the police spokesman decided to escalate the charges is not clear to me.

The most important task of the police is to defend Israel's democracy, not to destroy it.

Israel Hanukoglu, Chairman, Professors for a Strong Israel, Jerusalem.