Abuse. (Illustration photo)
Photo: Efie Shrir
Infantry troops suspected of abuse
Military police arrests four Haruv soldiers suspected of punching and striking Palestinian youth
Four Haruv Battalion soldiers have been arrested by military police in recent days due to suspicions that they abused a Palestinian civilian, Ynet has learned.
Due to the seriousness of the incident, the IDF's chief military prosecutor cancelled the heavy incarceration punishment placed on the soldiers by the regiment commander, and ordered them to stand trial by a military judge.
A larger than normal team of the IDF's Criminal Investigation Committee has been ordered to investigate the incident.
From testimonies collected so far, it transpired that on Saturday two weeks ago, while the soldiers took part in an ongoing security mission near the Shavei Shomron settlement, they countered a Palestinian youth passerby, struck him with punches, and with a pole at their disposal.
The father of the youth placed a complaint over the incident, and Haruv's regiment commander held a speedy investigation. During the investigation, it became clear that the four abandoned their armored vehicle, took off their bullet proof vests, and lay down on the ground. They even took photographs of themselves with their mobile phones.
The four were tried by their regiment commander for serious breach of conduct and harming the Palestinian. Three of the soldiers were sentenced to 63 days incarceration to be served actively, while a fourth soldiers whose involvement in the incident is open to question has been sentenced to military confinement.
Sources in the batallion stressed that the soldiers' conduct was unusual and severe.
At first the four denied the allegations, but the photographs on their mobile phones did not leave room for doubts. The four continue to deny harming the Palestinian.
The chief military prosecutor described the case as being based on "an incident of severe abuse involving four soldiers using a blunt weapon."
