IDF arrests 3 Palestinian cops for beating off-duty reservist in West Bank

The Israeli military announced on Wednesday that it had apprehended three Palestinian Authority police officers who, it said, had illegally set up a blockade in Area C of the West Bank and detained and assaulted an off-duty reservist last month.

In the incident on August 23, the Israeli, a resident of a West Bank settlement who was armed at the time, was stopped by the PA officers on a road near the Palestinian town of Beitunia and allegedly beaten by them.

“They broke my glasses and phone and took the car key. They also took my weapon, forced me out of the car, and beat me,” the reservist told the Ynet news site after the incident.

The reservist said the PA officers took him in their cruiser toward Ramallah, and during the ride they allowed him to speak on a phone with an Israeli officer of the Civil Administration. Shortly after, he was handed over to Israeli forces.

The roadblock had been set up by the PA officers in Area C of the West Bank, which is supposed to be under full Israeli civil and security control.

The Israel Defense Forces said the PA officers had “overstepped their authority to operate in these areas,” and Israeli security authorities “described the incident as a serious overreach by the [PA] security forces, endangering the life of the Israeli civilian and using aggressive and severe force against him.”

מנגנוני הביטחון של הרשות הפלסטינית מסרו לכוחותינו יהודי לאחר שנכנס בטעות לכפר ביתוניא ממערב לרמאללה, וברשותו נמצאו רובה M16 ואקדח pic.twitter.com/fKVgFCabZO

— כל החדשות בזמן אמת (@Saher_News_24_7) August 23, 2026

The army said that three PA officers were detained this week over their involvement in the roadblock and the assault on the Israeli man, and they were being questioned by the Shin Bet.

“The IDF maintains security coordination in accordance with the directive of the political leadership. At the same time, the IDF will not tolerate any deviation from procedures,” the military added.

Violence in the West Bank has escalated sharply in recent months, mostly involving settler attacks on Palestinians, though there have also been several attacks by Palestinian assailants on Israelis, including a stabbing on Monday.