In Broad Daylight: Abuse of Palestinians by IDF soldiers on July 23, 2001

Summary

B'Tselem Publishes New Report: "In Broad Daylight - Abuse of Palestinians by IDF soldiers on July 23, 2001"

The 17-page report, uncovers a severe case of abuse of nine Palestinian residents of Samou in the Hebron district by twelve Israeli soldiers.

Last Monday, July 23, 2001, soldiers from the IDF "Shimshon" battalion detained passengers of two Palestinian taxis and abused them over the course of two hours. Among other things, the soldiers forced the passengers at gunpoint and with violence to severely beat one another. The soldiers hit the passengers on their heads using helmets and guns. They stoned them, vandalized their taxis and more.

"[The soldiers] told one of the men [...] to beat us one after the other. He refused, but the soldiers threatened to kill him on the spot. The other men asked him to beat them. With tears falling from his eyes, the young man started to beat us with his fist on our faces and heads. He tried to beat us gently, but one of the soldiers put his gun to his head and told him to beat us more seriously. They told him to beat me the most. He struck my face six or seven times." (From the testimony of Khaled Rawashdeh, 36 years old.)

This case, whose severity is reminiscent of some of the most brutal incidents of the previous intifada, stems primarily from the military establishment's disregard for Palestinians' dignity and safety: soldiers in the Occupied Territories do not receive the message that abusing Palestinians is unconditionally forbidden.

B'Tselem urges the Israel Defense Force to quickly and thoroughly investigate this case and bring those responsible to justice.