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2 more Israeli suspects arrested over Hebron beating of Palestinian man
Man and teenager join others suspected of taking part in attack on Ibrahim Bader and an IDF soldier who came to his aid on Friday night
Two more people were arrested early Monday on suspicion of attacking a Palestinian man and the Israel Defense Forces soldier who came to his aid in the West Bank city of Hebron last week, the Israel Police said Monday.
The two were a man and a minor, police said. They follow the arrest of two Israeli teenagers on Sunday.
A group of settler youths was seen assaulting the Palestinian man on Friday night before the serviceman rushed in.
Additionally, police said six others — three men and three minors — have been apprehended for allegedly throwing rocks and causing damage to vehicles owned by Palestinians.
All the suspects were expected to be brought Monday for a remand hearing at the Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court.
On Sunday, IDF Chief of Staff Aviv Kohavi praised the soldier for rescuing the Palestinian man, who was later identified as Ibrahim Bader.
“The chief of staff praised the conduct of the soldier, who acted as expected of an IDF soldier and prevented the injury of a Palestinian civilian,” the IDF said in a joint statement with the Israel Police.
The soldier, who served in the 51st Battalion of the Golani Brigade and sustained several blows during the altercation, was later identified, but only by his first name: Effi.
זה אפי, לוחם הגולני שהציל את הפלסטיני מההמון הזועם בחברון…. מגיע לו כל הכבוד ענק!!! pic.twitter.com/OkB7FYZG7B
— Yossi Eli יוסי אלי (@Yossi_eli) June 14, 2020
It was the IDF chief’s first public comment since footage of the incident emerged.
Kohavi’s remarks came during a meeting with interim police chief Motti Cohen to discuss the case, according to a joint statement by the police and IDF.
“The chief of staff noted that nationalistic violence is a crime that must be prevented, denounced and dealt with fully,” the statement said.
“The police interim commissioner stressed that police forces and border guards would continue to work with IDF troops, overtly and covertly, against all violence and crimes in the [West Bank] to find those involved and bring them to justice,” according to the statement.
According to the Kan public broadcaster, four people were briefly detained on Saturday in connection with the incident, but were granted a conditional release.
Itamar Ben Gvir, a far-right lawyer and politician, said he was representing some of the suspects and had spoken to them on Saturday. He said he could not divulge specifics, but the suspects told him Palestinians threw rocks at them.
“This won’t be the first time that Arabs in Hebron taunt Jews, then take out a camera,” Ben Gvir wrote on Twitter.
In video footage of the incident, a group of Israelis can be seen attacking the Palestinian, with one of them putting him in a headlock as others hit and kick him.
The Golani Brigade soldier then runs toward the group, pushing one of the Israelis aside and trying to help Bader out of the headlock. The soldier then appears to be hit by the man he pushed, who he then briefly confronts.
The soldier then turns back to Bader, telling the man administering the headlock “to leave him,” which he does.
As the soldier escorts Bader to safety, some of the Israelis run after them. A number of them try to strike Bader, while the soldier continues to try to distance him from the group.
Bader later told Kan news he wished to “thank the soldier who helped me and kept them away from me.”
“God sent him” to save his life, Bader later told Channel 12, saying the attack on him was unprovoked.
Bader, a 31-year-old security guard and father of three, said he was on his way to work when he was attacked.
Human Rights Defenders, the Palestinian group that released the video Saturday, said the incident occurred on Shuhada Street in the Israeli-controlled part of the West Bank city.
“During the night, there was friction between Israelis and Palestinians in Hebron that included the throwing of rocks and Molotov cocktails,” a statement from the army said. “IDF soldiers who arrived at the scene dispersed the violent gathering,” the statement said, without elaborating further.
Defense Minister Benny Gantz on Saturday praised the actions of the soldier. “The Golani soldier who defended a Palestinian resident of Hebron acted as every IDF soldier and commander is expected to,” Gantz wrote on Twitter. “The IDF is committed to the safety of civilians in every place it operates, and I trust the ranking commanders in the IDF will investigate the incident in an orderly manner.”
Hebron, which is split into areas of Israeli and Palestinian Authority rule, has long been a flashpoint for violence.
