A-Sharqawi
Former Palestinian officer to be charged with incitement
A retired major-general in Palestinian National Security Forces arrested on suspicion of incitement, organizing violent rioting in Aida refugee camp near Rachel's Tomb; the 'known instigator of riots' seen waving sign bearing swastika.
Yousef a-Sharqawi, a retired major-general in the Palestinian Security Forces, will be charged with incitement and orchestrating violent rioting, Ynet has learned, after he organized and participated in a rally while holding a sign bearing a swastika.
The rally was held this past Friday, among other violent clashes in the Aida refugee camp near Rachel's Tomb.
Border Policemen used crowd control methods to disperse protesters and arrested several rock throwers.
A-Sharqawi (circled) was arrested for orchestrating inciting rallies
The Israeli forces then spotted someone who appeared to be the main instigator among the rioters, a Palestinian in his sixties who is also sought in connection with organizing rioting in the area. A-Sharqawi was seen carrying inciting anti-Semitic signs bearing swastikas.
A-Sharqawi was arrested on Sunday at the entrance checkpoint to the town of al-Eizariya, near Abu Dis, with the IDF claiming he was responsible for organizing and inciting several violent protests attended by anarchists that used anti-Semitic symbols.
Footage of the rally (צילום: דוברות המשטרה)
"He is one of the (region's) main instigators, and we have been looking into his actions for the past several months," said the Border Police's investigations officer.
A-Sharqawi previously served in the Palestinian National Security Forces. He was living in Lebanon prior to the Oslo Accords and then moved the West Bank after the agreements were signed. He was initially recruited into the Palestinian Security Forces as a junior officer and moved up the ranks. He retired last year.
