Border Police Officer Charged with Assaulting Palestinian Detainee at Checkpoint

A Border Police (Magav) officer has been charged with assaulting a Palestinian man detained at a checkpoint in Jerusalem. According to the indictment, the officer arrested the man after discovering an image of a weapon on his mobile phone and took him to a holding cell. The officer is accused of beating the detainee and breaking his arm during the incident. Following the alleged assault, he is further accused of threatening the man’s friends and colleagues not to report what had occurred. The case has raised fresh concerns about conduct during security operations at checkpoints in and around Jerusalem, where thousands of Palestinians pass through daily for work and other purposes. The allegations come at a time of heightened scrutiny over use-of-force incidents involving Israeli security forces. Investigators allege the officer attempted to conceal evidence of the assault, including by washing away blood stains at the scene. The investigation was launched following a complaint, and the case is now proceeding through Israel’s military and police justice system.

Source: Ynet — Original article in Hebrew.