Tractor kidnapping? (Archive)
Photo: Parks Services
Settler charged with kidnapping Palestinian
Son of Yesha Human Rights Organization head indicted on charges of kidnapping Palestinian youth, beating him, and leaving him naked in field after chasing him and his friends with mini tractor
An indictment was filed with the Jerusalem District Court Monday against 26-year-old Zvi Struk from Shiloh, charging him with the abuse of a number of Palestinian youths and the kidnapping of one of them.
The indictment states that five months ago the defendant, son of Yesha Human Rights Organization head Orit Struk, arrived at an outpost located between Shiloh and Kfar Kusra in the West Bank. He arrived on a mini tractor and began to chase the youths on the scene.
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The youths attempted to escape, but Struk cornered one of them and his friend, armed with Struk's M-16 rifle, alighted and began to fire in the air. According to the prosecution, Struk then began to beat the boy, who had put his hands up in surrender, and knocked him to the ground.
The indictment goes on to say that Struk's friend continued to beat the boy while he chased another youth, beat him, and dragged him to the mini tractor bleeding. He then proceeded to blindfold and tie him to the tractor, and rode off with his hostage in tow.
The prosecution claims that the boy lost consciousness during the ride, and was brought to an open field where the two suspects beat him, undressed him, and left him blindfolded and tied. He remained there for a number of hours, until he managed to untie himself and find a car to take him home.
The boy was hospitalized in Nablus, and diagnosed with multiple contusions and lesions all over his body.
Struk had attacked the boy two months earlier, the indictment states, while the latter was herding sheep with a friend near the village. Struk told them to leave the land, claiming it was his, and then beat the two boys.
Struk's attorney, Haim Cohen, told Ynet in response that "a hearing will take place mid-January before the District Prosecution and I believe that afterwards the charges will be dropped."
