Three teens charged with abusing younger students

Police arrested three 16-year-old boys on Sunday on suspicion of physically, emotionally and sexually abusing younger students at their educational institution in the Jordan Valley.

The three suspects are reportedly from Jerusalem and the religious West Bank settlement of Emmanuel. They were accused of extortion, assault, threats of violence, persuading their victims to use illegal drugs, destruction of personal property, imprisonment and sexual abuse against at least three minors

MK Yoni Chetboun (Jewish Home) said this was “a very serous incident that is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of the state abandoning children in distress.”

On Sunday evening the Petah Tikva Magistrate’s court extended the remand of the three suspects by a day, and on Monday afternoon the police were to request a further extension.

Police were also expected to make additional arrests in the coming days.

Chetboun pledged to make the incident a high priority in the Knesset Education Committee, of which he is a member.