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Last update - 12:01 21/10/2009
State won't prosecute officers filmed beating Palestinians
By Liel Kyzer, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: israel news, State prosecutor 

Deputy State Prosecutor Shai Nitzan rejected an appeal against the decision not to investigate Border Police officers who documented themselves abusing Palestinians.

The appeal was filed by the Yesh Din human rights group.

Senior deputy to the state prosecutor Nechama Zusman wrote last week on Nitzan's behalf that "the beating in the case was extremely slight and did not cause any actual damage. Therefore, the deputy state prosecutor did not think it was appropriate to intervene in the decision of the Justice Ministry's department for the investigation of police officers to transfer the case to the care of the Israel Police disciplinary department, along with a recommendation to discipline the officers in question."



Yesh Din issued a sharp response on Tuesday. The organization's legal adviser, Michael Sfard, wrote to Zusman that, "Your position demonstrates unprecedented tolerance of abuse of people in custody by a person of authority, through the use of violence and humiliation."

"The question of damage suffered is completely irrelevant, as criminal law prohibits assault and without qualifying it by the gravity of the damage caused," the letter continued. "The argument that beating a prisoner is not a criminal act is even worse than the beating itself, and amounts to a dangerous move by the prosecution."

The organization called upon the prosecution to review its decision to close the criminal case. Sfard asked for disciplinary proceedings to be stalled until a final decision is made, and made clear that Yesh Din is considering further legal measures if the original decision is upheld.

The video clips in which the officers documented themselves beating and humiliating Palestinians in East Jerusalem were revealed over a year ago, and appear to have been filmed in July 2007 and August 2008.

One clip shows an armed Border Police officer hitting a Palestinian detainee on the back of the head. Another shows a different officer forcing a Palestinian youth to salute.

Yesh Din, which made the clips public, said they were found in a cell phone apparently lost by one of the officers.

When the footage became public, Yesh Din approached the investigations department with a request to examine the events in an open criminal proceeding against those involved.

After looking into the matter, the department decided not to press criminal charges and to transfer the case to the police disciplinary unit.
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  1.   observation 08:12  |  potobac 21/10/09
  2.   It`s Yesh Din that should be investigated 08:43  |  Moshe 21/10/09
  3.   How slight is slight? 08:49  |  arieh zimmerman 21/10/09
  4.   Is this for real 09:56  |  kibishi 21/10/09
  5.   Humiliation allowed, "slight" abuse permitted 10:28  |  sh 21/10/09
  6.   "without order there can be no democracy" 11:37  |  Samantha 21/10/09
  7.   Imagine if Palestinians were assaulting police 13:56  |  david 21/10/09
  8.   minor but unprofessional 14:26  |  John 21/10/09
  9.   One more example that the state of Israel is firmly..... 14:53  |  Swiss (Dino) 21/10/09
  10.   Of course, had an Arab `slightly` beaten an Israeli... 14:55  |  Damian Lataan 21/10/09
  11.   THAT WAS AN `ASSAULT`? 14:58  |  Petra 21/10/09
  12.   # 3 How dead is dead? 15:04  |  Petra 21/10/09
  13.   Israel will join the civlized world when ... 15:05  |  Don Boston 21/10/09
  14.   Well, thanks for posting the clip 15:08  |  sh 21/10/09
  15.   and nor they should 15:12  |  Mary Stout 21/10/09
  16.   The leftist gets Jail, the police go free. 15:21  |  Apa 21/10/09
  17.   Re #8 John 15:27  |  Apa 21/10/09
  18.   Roadmap 15:27  |  W 21/10/09
  19.   obscene justice 15:35  |  ernst 21/10/09
  20.   #2 Moshe 15:44  |  diesel 21/10/09
  21.   It`s another shameful double standard .... 15:59  |  Dutch 21/10/09
  22.   Humiliation 16:05  |  Michael 21/10/09
  23.   This is promoting state terrorrism by the border police... 16:06  |  Dutch 21/10/09
  24.   Look more carefully before pontificating 16:07  |  Purple Canary 21/10/09
  25.   Yet Israel still doesn`t get it 16:39  |  Chris Linthwaite 21/10/09
  26.   Israel also don`t prosecute arabs stealing credit cards from vict 16:41  |  Absolute Sweden 21/10/09
  27.   Banana Republic 16:42  |  Daniella Rost 21/10/09
  28.   Israel is a great country, ruled by law 16:54  |  Gudrun Schylst 21/10/09
  29.   Sedrot is under attack and you run this story???? 16:56  |  Jonas Sköld 21/10/09
  30.   How about War Criminals 17:01  |  Damien Slackt 21/10/09
  31.   #8 I`ll bet you and others would have cried antisemitic if it was 17:02  |  socalmaverick 21/10/09
  32.   What are the guidelines/definitions? 17:08  |  David 21/10/09
  33.   So rock throwing is non criminal if little damage caused 17:18  |  Bloodyscot 21/10/09
  34.   The left only wishes... 17:18  |  akiva P 21/10/09
  35.   Re: Jonas and Absolute Sweden 17:19  |  Apa 21/10/09
  36.   Next time i see an israeli I`ll beat him slightly, but thats ok 17:22  |  Ezra 21/10/09
  37.   Open season on Israelis then 17:38  |  Chris Linthwaite 21/10/09
  38.   #21 - Jonas - same excuse for all wrongs?? 17:40  |  Don Boston 21/10/09
  39.   Another example of the settlers taking over Israel...... 17:40  |  Swiss (Dino) 21/10/09
  40.   #28 correct me if I`m wrong. aren`t you the occupier? 17:46  |  socalmaverick 21/10/09
  41.   No surprise here 18:11  |  Hugh 21/10/09
  42.   No surprise here 18:13  |  Hugh 21/10/09
  43.   #33 #28 correct me if I`m wrong. aren`t you the occupier? 18:14  |  socalmaverick 21/10/09
  44.   High moral standard 18:36  |  Erik 21/10/09
  45.   where is the abuse? 18:41  |  dan 21/10/09
  46.   Yesh DIn is a terror group in disguise 18:48  |  Chaim Ben Kahan 21/10/09
  47.   If Israel has left Gaza and no longer 18:50  |  Chris Linthwaite 21/10/09
  48.   24 PC, In Israel the truth is always the other way around 19:05  |  Dutch 21/10/09
  49.   A perfect example...... 19:42  |  Marlene N. 21/10/09
  50.   No comments from `David Israel` 20:01  |  Hakan 21/10/09
  51.   Did anyone really expect an investigation?? 20:35  |  Che 21/10/09
  52.   Don`t worry Swiss (# 9, 39)... 20:45  |  flyingdoc57 21/10/09
  53.   Isocrates once said - 04:11  |  Abraham 22/10/09
  54.   Which is worse... 05:27  |  Aaron Levitt 22/10/09
  55.   Of course... 08:35  |  Denise 22/10/09
  56.   Israel, you shame us all! 18:36  |  Michael 22/10/09
  57.   Makes me sick! 21:38  |  Average American 22/10/09
  58.   flyingdoc57 52 15:27  |  potobac 24/10/09
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