Court charges Border Policemen with beating, robbing Palestinians

Three members of the Border Police have been charged in the Be'er Sheva District Court with beating and robbing four Palestinians at gunpoint in 2006.

According to the indictment, the Palestinians, who were illegally present in Israel, were heading back to their homes in the Hebron area. The border policemen, Michael Nagawkar, Raz Sarusi and Idan Moyal, all from Be'er Sheva, stopped them near Tel Arad.

After the officers directed the Palestinians to drive to a side road, the Palestinians left their car and tried to flee on foot. The policemen caught up to them, beat them with their batons and threw stones at them.

According to the indictment, Nagawkar asked one of the Palestinians what he had in his pocket and the man took out NIS 350. Nagawkar took the money, threatening that if the man reported the theft he would be jailed. Nagawkar returned NIS 50 at the Palestinian's request so he could buy gas. The officers also took at gunpoint NIS 800 from one of the other Palestinians, the indictment reads.

The Palestinians allegedly submitted to the robbery because they were illegal and did not want to be arrested.