Israeli Civilians Support IDF War Crimes

In a disturbing turn of events, Israel is facing significant backlash over the detention of nine soldiers accused of brutally abusing a Palestinian prisoner.This incident has thrown a stark light on the horrendous conditions faced by Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons, where torture, severe beatings, and inhumane treatment are rampant.

This video shows the after effects of the torture faced by Palestinian prisoners, leaving us to wonder what the torture itself would look like!

The hospitalization of a Palestinian prisoner, following severe abuse at the hands of Israeli soldiers, has sparked significant outrage and violent protests in Israel. Shockingly, instead of condemning the soldiers’ actions, far-right Knesset members and civilians have vehemently protested their detention, clashing violently with military police.

These protests and attempts to storm military facilities underscore the alarming levels of shamelessness and brutality endorsed by some segments of Israeli society and its government, further exacerbating the already volatile situation.

Protests and Clashes:

• Dozens of Israeli protesters, including far-right Knesset members, clashed with military police after the detention of nine soldiers from the Sde Teiman detention facility in southern Israel.
• Protesters, waving Israeli flags, stormed the facility’s gate on Monday to prevent the soldiers’ detention, chanting “shame”. They defended the soldiers, stating they were merely performing their duties.
• Demonstrators also tried to breach the Beit Lid military base, where the detained soldiers were transported.
• According to Haaretz, some members of the military directed pepper spray at the military police who came to detain the soldiers.

Incident and Investigation:

• The soldiers in question belong to Force 100, a unit tasked with guarding the Sde Teiman facility. They were detained for questioning after allegations of “substantial abuse” of a Palestinian detainee.
• Israeli media reported that the Palestinian prisoner was taken to a hospital with severe injuries and was unable to walk.
• Major General Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, Israel’s military advocate general, initiated a military police investigation into the incident.
• The Israeli military condemned the break-in and stated that such actions endangered state security, emphasizing the need to restore order.

Political Reactions:

• Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for calm and condemned the storming of the facility, while Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stressed the necessity of allowing authorized parties to conduct their investigations.
• Support from Far-Right: Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir defended the soldiers and called for the military to halt its investigation. Ben-Gvir and other Otzma Yehudit party members even traveled to Sde Teiman to demand the soldiers’ release.
• Yuli Edelstein, Chairman of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, announced a hearing to discuss the arrests, asserting that soldiers should not be treated as criminals. Justice Minister Yariv Levin expressed shock at the soldiers’ treatment.
• “Everything is legitimate”, Israeli lawmaker, Hanoch Milwidsky said while justifying rape of Palestinian prisoners.

Abuse and Conditions in Prisons:

• The Israeli NGO Breaking the Silence criticized the protesters and detailed the brutal abuse of Palestinian detainees, including deaths, amputations due to restraints, lack of medical care, beatings, and sexual torture.
• Palestinian lawyer Khaled Mahajna shared accounts from detainees, including rapes and torture at the Sde Teiman facility. One detainee witnessed rapes, while another was electrocuted and sexually abused.
• An investigation by The Associated Press and reports by rights groups highlighted dire conditions at the Sde Teiman facility and other Israeli prisons.

Broader Context:

• Since October 7, at least 12 Palestinians have died in Israeli jails and far more in the military bases, due to alleged abuse. Accounts include severe beatings, untreated chronic conditions, and ignored cries for help leading to death.
• The US Department of State is looking into allegations of Israeli abuse of Palestinian detainees.
• Amnesty International and other rights groups have called for an end to the indefinite detention and torture of Palestinian prisoners. Amnesty documented 27 cases of detainees held without contact with their families for up to four and a half months.
• Over 9,000 Palestinians have been detained since Israel launched its war on Gaza, with more than 39,000 (as per UN report) and 1,86,000 (as per Lancet report) Palestinians killed by Israeli forces, prompting international condemnation and calls for accountability.