Palestinian Attacked, Detained for Wishing an Israeli Soldier a Good Day

Palestinian Attacked, Detained for Wishing an Israeli Soldier a Good Day

RAMALLAH, July 29, 2015 (WAFA) – A Palestinian youth was assaulted by an Israeli soldier as he was crossing Jabara police station to cross into Hebron, for simply wishing the soldier a ‘good day’, Wednesday reported the Palestinian detainees and ex-detainees affairs committee.

The committee reported on Naser Jaber, 22, saying after he got his identity card checked by an Israeli soldier at the police station in order to allow him to cross into Hebron, Jaber wished the soldier a ‘good day’, when the soldier stopped him immediately, asking him, ‘Am I your friend to wish me a good day?’ The soldier then smacked Jaber on his chin and on the back of his head with his riffle, causing him serious cuts and fractures in his chin and jaw, as well as an intensive internal bleeding in his head.

Jaber was then detained and left to bleed for two hours before transferring him to hospital for treatment. He was taken to Hadassah Ein Kerem hospital in Jerusalem, where he received medical care. Jaber was then transferred to Etzion Israeli jail in Hebron, however, the prison administration refused to take him due to the severity of his health condition. He was taken back to Jabara police station and back to Etzion jail shortly after.

Jaber told the committee that he has not been provided with any additional treatment despite of his bad condition following the assault; he said that he suffers from severe pain in his head, a high fever, and walking problems.

Incidents of violence by Israeli forces and settlers against Palestinians, including children and women, have regularly been reported, either during Israeli arrest operations, home searches and raids, violent suppression of peaceful demonstrations, or while serving jail sentences in Israeli jails.

Many Palestinians have been injured or shot dead on sight for allegedly committing assaults against Israelis despite the fact that they posed no threat to the lives of soldiers.

In December 2014, a Palestinian woman in her early twenties was shot and seriously injured by the Israeli soldiers who opened fire on her for allegedly stabbing an Israeli settler near Bethlehem.

In April 2015, a youth from the village of al-‘Arqa to the west of Jenin died of critical injuries he sustained after being shot by Israeli forces while he was tending his land near the separation wall. He was identified as Mohammad Morad Yahya, 21.

T.R/M.H