The Justice Ministry’s Police Internal Investigations Department has opened an investigation into allegations of violence by officers during a traffic stop in a Bedouin town that devolved into a violent confrontation.
On Friday, police said dozens of Rahat residents violently attacked officers after they tried to pull over an unlicensed driver. When the driver refused to stop, police said he led officers on a chase through the town. When officers caught up to the vehicle, three passengers emerged armed with a club and rocks and attacked the officers, while encouraging dozens of bystanders to join in.
Two suspects from the car were arrested, and two officers were hospitalized for injuries sustained in the incident.
Videos of the brawl uploaded online appeared to show an officer in civilian clothing slapping one of the suspects in the face as he was being lead away by police. It was unclear what prompted the incident and whether it happened before or after the residents clashed with the officers.
As stated by reports in Hebrew language media on Saturday, police are continuing to search for other residents involved in the scuffle.
תיעוד של שוטר שסוטר לעצור במהלך פעילות למעצר נהג ללא רישיון ברהט. מהמשטרה נמסר כי נהג הרכב החל בנהיגה פרועה והשוטרים אחריו. 3 הנוסעים ירדו אל השוטרים עם אבנים ואלות. השוטרים הותקפו בידי עשרות תושבי רהט שיידו לעברם אבנים.
אחד מהנוסעים נעצר בתם מאבק ושימוש בטייזר יחד עם תושב רהט pic.twitter.com/DcjqMY3I0u— ilana curiel (@ilanacuriel) May 25, 2018
On Saturday, hundreds of Rahat residents took to the streets to protest the official version of events, saying Friday’s incident was indicative of what they termed systemic discrimination and violence toward Arabs in Israel.
The attorney for one of suspects said the online videos of the incident prove that “there was no chase, the police officers were not beaten up, only the detainee,” according to Hadashot news. Natalie Atoun also stated that officers called her client a “dirty Arab.”
One of suspect’s uncle’s, Mousa, also attended Saturday’s protest, where he told the TV news channel that the police’s version of events was “untrue,” and said the scuffle between the passengers and officers broke out after verbal insults were exchanged.
“There was a disagreement between one officer and the suspect’s brother, and when bystanders heard the [officer’s] rude words about his mother, the situation got heated,” he said. “It doesn’t have anything to do with the suspect himself.”
He linked the incident to the arrest of 19 Arab activists last week that sparked accusations of systemic police brutality towards the Arab minority in Israel.
זה מה שקרה הערב ברחוב אל סלאם "השלום"בעיר רהט שבנגב pic.twitter.com/LDlkalDLne
— sami abed alhamed سامي عبد الحميد (@samiaah10) May 25, 2018
“The police have two faces, one against the Arabs and the other against the Jewish population,” he told Hadashot. “There [in Jewish areas] they enter without any gear, but here they are deployed like they are going to war, its just how it is. I do support law enforcement and rule of law, but we are also against violence from any side, especially if its by law enforcement.”
Police did not immediately comment on the videos, saying on Friday that viewed the attack on police officers with “great severity.”
On Saturday, Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan posted on Twitter that the images from the incident in Rahat “require an investigation,” saying there was “no justification for using unwarranted force police.” He vowed that “no leniency” would be shown to violent police officers.
The incident in Rahat comes amid heightened Jewish-Arab tensions in Israel as Arab activists have accused police of violently suppressing a Gaza solidarity rally last weekend and illegally arresting participants.
Twenty-one people were detained last Friday night at a rally against the deaths of dozens Palestinians during clashes with troops at the Gaza border in recent weeks. One activist — Jafar Farah, chairman of the Mossawa rights group — sustained a broken knee and had to be hospitalized. He says that a police officer kicked his leg, shattering his knee, while he was held overnight.
Since March 30, tens of thousands of Palestinians have taken part in weekly “March of Return” protests, which Israel says are orchestrated by the ruling Hamas terror group in Gaza and used as cover for attempted attacks and breaches of the border fence.
Police are seen at a pro-Gaza rally in Haifa on May 20, 2018. (Police Spokesperson)
The deaths of over 100 Palestinians in the recent clashes were met with international outrage and calls for an independent investigation of events. Hamas and other Gaza terror groups have subsequently claimed 50 of casualties as their own members.
Police maintain the arrests in the Haifa protest were “carried out lawfully and in accordance with procedures,” but have not offered an explanation for Farah’s injury. They said the protests had included stone throwing at officers, property damage, attempts to block roads, and the disturbing of public order.
On Sunday, all 19 protesters were ordered released by a judge, and the PIID announced that a probe into the incident had been opened.
The head of the Joint (Arab) List, Ayman Odeh, accused the police of “brutal” treatment of the Arab demonstrators, saying their “claims that raising the Palestinian flag constitutes incitement, is untrue and also illegal.”