Israelis storm prison defending Palestinian detainee’s torture
Nine Israeli soldiers were arrested on July 29th at the Sde Teiman prison over the abuse of a Palestinian detainee, prompting a flood of far-right Israelis into the prison in protest, The New Arab and agencies reported.
The allegations reported in Israeli press include assault and rape. The detainee was hospitalised and is now unable to walk.
This is the latest incident in a series of mounting allegations of systematic abuse at the facility, prompting Israel’s high court to demand reports on the facility’s conditions following a May lawsuit. At least 36 detainees have died in the detention centre.
Many have alleged frequent use of systematic torture and rape at the facility, as well as inhumane conditions. The Association for Civil Rights in Israel said that such violations amount to war crimes.
Palestinian lawyer Khaled Mahajneh visited the facility and said the site was “unlike anything I’ve ever seen or heard before.”
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Following the arrests, an argument erupted in an Israeli Knesset committee hearing between Likud MK Hanoch Milwidsky and Ta’al MK Ahmed Tibi over the use of sexual violence against Palestinian detainees. Milwidsky argued that if detainees are Hamas fighters, “everything is legitimate to do.”
The Religious Zionist Party’s Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich condemned the arrests, and Jewish Power’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said there was “nothing less […] shameful” than their occurrence.
On the night of July 29th, far-right activists — as well as Israeli lawmakers and officials — stormed both the Sde Teiman detention facility and Beit Lid army base in outrage, including Likud MK Tally Gotliv, Religious Zionist MK Zvi Succot, Jewish Power MK Limor Son Har-Melech, and Jewish Power Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant both condemned the break-ins.
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The storming of the bases, for some, acts as yet another manifestation of internal divisions within Israel. The Executive Director of +972 Magazine Haggai Matar observed the break-ins as “the closest I’ve seen to a civil war” and Chief International Correspondent for Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation Likewise Moav Vardi likened the incident to Washington’s January 6th riots.
“This is not a riot,” said opposition leader Yair Lapid. “This is an attempted coup by an armed militia against a weak prime minister who is unable to take control of his government.”
Israeli professor Idan Landau said that while Israel was not on the brink of civil war, the break-ins were part of “a rapid disintegration of the relics of Israeli democracy.” “We will literally be squashed without external help,” he added.
“Israel is not on [the] brink of civil war,” said International Crisis Group’s Senior Israel Analyst Mairav Zonszein, “but s**t is hitting the fan between military and political leadership — between liberals and religious fundamentalists — and no one knows where it’s heading.”
The New Arab and agencies
