JERUSALEM: Right-wing Israeli protesters broke into two military facilities on Monday after police detained nine soldiers over allegations of severe abuse of a Palestinian detainee captured in Gaza.

The protests were denounced by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant and the head of the army, Lt Gen Herzi Halevi, who described them as “bordering on anarchy”.

On Tuesday the Israeli military issued a fresh indictment against a reservist soldier accused of severe abuse of Palestinian prisoners.

The indictment alleges that the soldier beat, handcuffed and blindfolded detainees with a club or with his weapon as they were being transported, and videoed his actions.

The alleged actions took place between February and June this year, it said.

However, the protests underscored long-standing tensions in the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu between hardline nationalist-religious parties and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant and the army command.

Right wing protesters, including Netanyahu’s hardline nationalist-religious coalition partners, have reacted with fury to the abuse allegations against the soldiers, saying they had been doing their duty.

According to Israeli press reports, the soldiers have been accused of abusing the prisoner at the Sde Teiman detention facility, in southern Israel.

Army Radio reported that the detainee had been a member of an elite unit of the Hamas who had been captured in Gaza during the Israeli offensive there that followed the Oct 7 raid.

The Israeli rights group, Physicians for Human Rights, said it knew the victim was hospitalised three weeks ago in a life-threatening condition, with upper body injuries.—Reuters

Asked whether it could confirm the reports, the military said that its advocate general had initiated an investigation.

“Nine suspects from the base were taken in for questioning by the Military Police regarding the abuse allegations,” it said.

Horrific testimonies

Earlier the association representing Palestinian prisoners called for an international inquiry into allegations of abuse of detainees in Israeli jails.

“Every day, as we witness the massacres against our people in Gaza, we hear horrific and harsh testimonies from legal teams and detainees who are released,” said Qadura Fares, head of the Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs Commission.

He said the Israeli investigation into the Sde Teiman incident was a farce.

Widespread reports of mistreatment of detainees in Israeli prisons have added to international pressure on Israel over its conduct of the Gaza offensive.

The Israeli military said on Monday the investigation into the Israeli soldiers was ordered “following suspected substantial abuse of a detainee”.-

Published in Dawn, July 31st, 2024