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Photo: Jaffa 48 website
Teenage girls suspected of West Bank sabotage
Six underage girls among suspects in case involving damage to IDF property, cutting down of trees in West Bank
Six underage girls and one woman were arrested on suspicion of cutting down hundreds of olive trees and damaging IDF
property during the month of October. They are suspected of trying to prevent the evacuation of a West Bank outpost and are facing a remand hearing at the Petah Tikva Magistrate's Court.
The National Serious and International Crimes Unit has been holding a secret investigation of the matter for the past two months.
The suspicions fall under the category of "nationalistic crime" – the new name given to "price tag" acts.
Police claim the suspects caused damage to equipment in a military tent near the Esh Kodesh community in October. They are also suspected of taking part in the cutting down of hundreds of Palestinians' olive trees near the village of Kusra.
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The National Serious and International Crimes Unit has been holding a secret investigation of the matter for the past two months.
Settlers are claiming that officers arrested the suspected immediately after the alleged events and released them the next day on the condition they stay away from east Binyamin for one month.
"These are false arrests," claims Attorney Adi Keidar, who represents the suspects. "This happened two months ago and the girls were released with the police's consent. Now the Serious Crime Unit suddenly remembers to arrest them? It's a scandal.
"Moreover, they are suspected of very minor offences. How does such a case end up with a police elite unit?"
Associates of the suspects also leveled criticism at the investigation.
Yair Altman contributed to this report
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