Veteran activist for Palestinian rights Arik Ascherman indicted for assault

Veteran Palestinian rights activist Rabbi Arik Ascherman is indicted on three charges of assault with intent to steal, over an incident in June this year involving a clash between Ascherman and settler activists over property belonging to Palestinian civilians in the central West Bank.

The incident occurred close to the Palestinian town of Taibe and an illegal settlement farm in the Benjamin Regional Council district, where Ascherman and his Torat Tzedek organization are active in assisting Palestinian civilians against extremist settler attacks.

Video footage from the incident shows Ascherman tussling with a 16-year old boy from one of the nearby illegal settlement farms, and trying to prevent him moving on with the donkey.

The indictment against Ascherman was filed by the police. In June this year, the High Court of Justice reprimanded the police for failing to investigate an alleged assault against Ascherman by a settler extremist which took place five years ago.

“Not only is the indictment based on settler lies, but outrageously ignores the context that the settlers invaded Taibe, tied their donkey to Palestinian bales of hay while their sheep ate the hay,” says Ascherman in response.

“Neither the police or army responded to our calls. Just last week High Court judges grilled the police and army about their failure to protect Taibe residents and property,” he adds.