Last update - 00:00 29/02/2008
J'lem court indicts policeman for grievous assault at Amona
By Nadav Shragai, Haaretz Correspondent
A riot police officer, Moti Mehager, was indicted Thursday at the Jerusalem Magistrate's Court for allegedly causing grievous harm during the evacuation of the Amona outpost in the West Bank in January 2006.
The charges, which include three counts of grievous assault, followed an internal-affairs investigation of police action against protesters during the Amona evacuation.
The charges were brought against the officer in part because of a video provided by the demonstrators that allegedly shows Mehager beating the protesters as they sat on the floor of a house.
Six months ago, Ishai Greenbaum, one of the demonstrators allegedly injured by Mehager, filed a suit against the officer with the assistance of a human rights organization operating in the West Bank.
The State Attorney's Office acknowledged the plaintiffs' claims and announced that it did not intend to offer immunity to the officer.
Mehager, for his part, filed against his employer, the police force, arguing that "he was a victim of the prosecution and political interests on the one hand, and of the police on the other."
Mehager is accusing the police of giving orders that resulted in police violence at Amona. He says this was driven by political motives. "The preparations for the evacuation lasted a week and briefings were bleak, but at the same time the instructions were clear that in any eventuality it would be necessary to use batons," he said.
The officer maintains that the police ordered the use of batons and that "its political considerations overcame its obligations [to him] and the rest of the officers" for insufficiently preparing them. He also says the police command evaded responsibility after issuing orders.
"If these were illegal orders, it seems that the one responsible for them is first and foremost those giving the orders," Mehager said.
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