The Palestinian man was severely beaten by Israeli police in occupied East Jerusalem before his face was seared with the Jewish symbol
News Desk AUG 19, 2023
At least 16 members of the Israeli police force are facing accusations of physically abusing a Palestinian man from the Shuafat refugee camp in occupied East Jerusalem before branding his face with the Star of David.
The victim’s lawyer presented the charges on 17 August, a day after he was taken from his residence in Shuafat.
“As a law-abiding country, we must not put up with the phenomenon of police brutality. In this case, the nature of the injuries raises a strong suspicion that they were racially motivated,” Wadim Shub, the victim’s lawyer, was quoted as saying by Israeli media.
Shub called the incident “a grave case of intentional violence and humiliation of a detainee by police.”
The Palestinian man, who has not been named publicly, was suspected of drug trafficking offenses, Ynet reported. Police authorities allege that he “violently” resisted arrest and that the officers responded with “reasonable force’ to subdue him.”
Sixteen officers took part in the arrest, but none had their body cameras on at the time as they reportedly blindfolded the man before brutally beating him and searing his face with the Jewish symbol.
On Thursday, he was brought to the Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court for a remand hearing where the Star of David was still visible on his face. Judge Amir Shaked reportedly expressed his “horror” over the police’s conduct and directed the case to be brought before the Police Internal Investigations Department.
He ordered that the suspect’s remand be extended until 20 August.
Internal investigations by Israeli security forces often end with no charges or lenient sentences, and in many cases, witnesses are not even summoned for questioning.
Last month, an Israeli court acquitted a border police officer charged with reckless manslaughter after he killed Eyad al-Hallaq, an autistic Palestinian man. The court ruled that the officer acted in “self-defense” when he shot the 32-year-old man in occupied East Jerusalem’s Old City three years ago.
“This is literally what it looks like when the state runs on Jewish supremacy, cops knowing they will be celebrated and not held accountable torture prisoners by branding their faces with a star of David,” Yousef Munayyer, the former executive director of the US Campaign for Palestinian Rights, said via a tweet.
Israel is currently holding more than 5,000 Palestinian political prisoners, according to figures published by the rights group Addameer. At least 1,200 are held without charge or trial in a widely criticized practice known as administrative detention.
Israeli police brand Palestinian man with Star of David (thecradle.co)
