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Palestinians waiting at the Hawara checkpoint, one of the sites where civilians have complained of abuse by IDF soldiers. (Archives)
Last update - 08:13 22/09/2006
2 IDF soldiers charged with abusing civilians at checkpoint
By Amos Harel, Haaretz Correspondent and Haaretz Service

An Israel Defense Forces court on Thursday charged two IDF soldiers suspected of abusing two Palestinians last month at a checkpoint near Nablus.

The soldiers are accused of abuse, aggravated assault, looting, and disruption of legal proceedings.

The charges were brought to IDF Central Command's Prosecution Office by the human rights organization, B'Tselem, after Tha'ir Muhsen, a 27-year-old Palestinian man from a village near Nablus, lodged a complaint with the group saying the soldiers had beaten him and stolen his money.

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As a result of numerous other complaints presented to B'Telem, the IDF's military investigative committee is currently probing eight different cases of abuse by soldiers against Palestinian civilians in the West Bank.

In the current case, Muhsen said the soldiers severely beat him, stole his money and tore his pants and identification card. Following the alleged assault, Muhsen required medical treatment.

"The soldier ran towards me and kicked me in the head. He did this a few times, as if my head were a ball in a game. Then the officer grabbed my head, slammed it into the armored vehicle and went away," Muhsen said, according to the B'Tselem Website.

Muhsen said the soldiers later attacked another Palestinian at the same checkpoint. According to the second Palestinian's testimony, the soldiers beat him with their fists and a stick and stole NIS 1,000 from his wallet, as well as his cellular phone, with which they photographed themselves. He also required medical treatment after the alleged attack.

The main piece of evidence in the case is the recording, obtained by military police investigators, of a phone call made by one of the suspects, in which he describes the second assault.

In the recording the soldier describes how one of the soldiers, "took a wooden stick," and told the Palestinian, "I'll bust open your head," after which he proceeded to beat the man who was pleading for his life until blood gushed from his head.

According to B'Tselem, the eight incidents under investigation occurred in July and August of this year in the northern West Bank, mainly between Nablus and Tul Karm. According to the the group, a marked rise in incidents occurred after the war broke out in Lebanon on July 12.

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  1.   ONLY 2 22:54  |  CHEEWAWA 21/09/06
  2.   a jewish ethical code 23:33  |  sophia 21/09/06
  3.   How weird 00:25  |  American Patriot 22/09/06
  4.   sophie are you serious? 00:25  |  Omar 22/09/06
  5.   Thanks Sophia 00:27  |  American Patriot 22/09/06
  6.   now zionist,what u say?, its lie? 00:45  |  Ivan 22/09/06
  7.   More of typical nazi/zionist tactics 01:05  |  Hannah 22/09/06
  8.   I would be surprised 01:09  |  Pssd Off American 22/09/06
  9.   IDF soldiers abusing civilians 01:19  |  Sunny 22/09/06
  10.   This Must Stop! 01:21  |  Bimmer 22/09/06
  11.   Killing is acceptable, but not kicking? Bizarre. 01:38  |  Tony Price 22/09/06
  12.   Interesting 02:03  |  John 22/09/06
  13.   these soldiers are not wrong ? 02:33  |  Justice attack 22/09/06
  14.   WHAT MONEY? ALL THE MONEY ARE STOLEN FROM THE JEWS 04:01  |  Like it is. 22/09/06
  15.   No Surprise 05:26  |  Natallie Durson 22/09/06
  16.   If it`s true 07:57  |  Yerushalimey 22/09/06
  17.   to 3 - I tell you what I say 08:42  |  leila Perez 22/09/06
  18.   RE: If it`s true 09:17  |  Chill People 22/09/06
  19.   only 3 postings for 2 soldiers charged ...... 09:18  |  Maureen Ann 22/09/06
  20.   yerushalimey-monicker appreciated 10:01  |  carmelite 22/09/06
  21.   abuse of civilians by occuppiers is daily life... 10:25  |  josh 22/09/06
  22.   2 ABUSERS 16:29  |  KING K 22/09/06
  23.   Like It Is 18:00  |  Basil 22/09/06
  24.   To Leila Perez : your justice is naive and illogical !!! 20:26  |  wahbi 22/09/06
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