Two Jewish youths were attacked by Arabs on Shabbos as they walked around the Ma’aras HaMachpelah area in Hebron. According to the Honenu report, IDF soldiers that arrived on the scene rescued the youths from their attackers. When Israel Police arrived, the victims were placed under arrest.

The youths required medical attention, compelling police to transport them to a hospital. During the night they were released from the hospital, having been treated for cuts and bruises. One also suffered a dislocated shoulder. Honenu reports they were then taken by police for interrogation as suspects in the case and not as victims. Police then brought them for arraignment, asking to detain them for three days.

Police taught the caught that while three Arab suspects were detained, they wish to keep the Jewish youths in detention until their story can be verified.

Honenu attorney Itamar Ben-Givir, who is representing the two, reports they were attacked by 20 Arab youths and police have not even bothered doing the minimum possible to verify the boys’ version of the attack. He said they have not checked area surveillance video cameras which can verify the version given by the victims and not the attackers.

Ben-Givir calls their arrest and detention illegal. Justice Yael Yetav accepted Ben-Givir’s argument and released the boys despite police objections. They were however distanced from Hebron for a period of 30 days.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)