Three Palestinians have been indicted for the attempted lynching of a Jewish teenager with disabilities who mistakenly entered the West Bank town of Huwara, Israeli authorities said Tuesday.
According to the Shin Bet and Israel Police, the suspects, Moamen Odeh, Abdullah Odeh and Mohammed Odeh, severely beat the teen and left him unconscious, believing he had died.
The teen walks through Huwara before being attacked
The incident occurred on January 25, when the teenager, described as ultra-Orthodox and with disabilities, accidentally entered Huwara. Residents who identified him as Jewish based on his clothing circulated messages on social media warning that a “Jew was walking in Huwara” and calling on others to attack him.
According to the indictment, the three suspects saw the posts while driving and began discussing the presence of the Jewish teen. Mohammed Odeh spotted him and asked the driver, Moamen Odeh, to stop the vehicle. He exited the car, kicked the teen and struck him in the neck.
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Border Police officers arrest suspects in attack on ultra-Orthodox man who entered Huwara
(Photo: Border Police)
He then returned to the car, after which Abdullah Odeh got out holding a metal object resembling brass knuckles and struck the teen in the face. The blow caused the victim to lose consciousness and suffer an injury to his right ear. The three then fled the scene.
After regaining consciousness, the teen managed to leave Huwara on his own and later filed a complaint with police.
“With the receipt of the information, Shin Bet and Border Police intelligence units carried out advanced intelligence and investigative operations, during which the victim was located, the suspects were identified and six individuals were arrested,” the agencies said in a joint statement.
The investigation concluded over the weekend, and prosecutors filed charges against three of the suspects for aggravated assault carried out together.
Authorities described the incident as a “severe terrorist attack with characteristics of a lynching.”
The Shin Bet, Israel Police and Border Police said they will continue to act decisively, using all available means, to thwart terrorism and bring to justice those who harm the security of Israeli civilians.