Last update - 00:00 19/02/2007
2 Be'er Sheva city inspectors arrested for beating Palestinian vendor
By Mijal Grinberg, Haaretz Correspondent
Two Be'er Sheva municipal inspectors were arrested on Monday, suspected of assaulting a Palestinian vendor in the city.
The vendor, who was illegally residing in Israel, called the police and issued a complaint that two municipal inspectors beat him next to the city's zoological park and left him there, where he was found lying injured shortly afterwards by a police patrol.
Police identified the alleged assailants and arrested them shortly thereafter.
The inspectors have vehemently denied allegations that they assaulted the vendor. According to their version of events, they were only attempting to confiscate the vendor's supply of shoes, which he was selling illegally in the city's central market.
Police have decided to request an extension of the suspects' remand, which will go into effect on Tuesday. The vendor was also arrested and will be held by police until the investigation is completed.
Officials at Be'er Sheva city hall have stated that the inspectors enforce the city's regulations against illegal vending. The city's bylaws are enforced by the "Ashalim" unit, which is manned by teams made up of police officers and city inspectors. According to the city hall, in the incident in question, the two city inspectors set off on their patrol alone and were not accompanied by police.