Monday, September 9, 2024, 12:24 In February 2023, border police officers and Civil Administration personnel destroyed a vineyard under Jewish ownership near Shilo, following a claim that it was situated on “private Palestinian land”. In light of recordings (see below) documenting officers beating people protesting the destruction of the vineyard, Honenu Attorney Eladi Weisel wrote a letter to the Police Investigation Unit (PIU) demanding that the offending officers be put on trial. He also filed a NIS 75,000 suit with the Jerusalem Magistrates Court on behalf of an assaulted youth. Recently, Attorney Weisel was informed that, in a disciplinary trial, two border police officers were convicted of unlawful use of force and were punished.
Police brutality during destruction of the vineyard; Video credit: Honenu
In the statement of claim, Attorney Weisel described the assault: “On February 15, 2023, border police officers arrived at a vineyard in the Shilo Bloc for the purpose of its destruction. Settlers came to the area of the vineyard to protest the destruction of the vineyard. They also attempted to delay the destruction until the legality of the action could be clarified by the political echelon. The complainant also arrived on the scene to protest the destruction. Border police officers applied brutal force upon the complainant. He was punched many times, including in his face, even after he had been removed [from the vineyard and taken] to the road. He was choked, kneed, and kicked, one time directly and powerfully in his face.”
Attorney Weisel described the severity of the brutality: “At first, one of the police officers choked the complainant as other police officers surrounding him kicked and punched his head and the rest of his body. Afterward, they threw him onto the road, and as he fell, suddenly another police officer appeared from the side and decided to ‘join the party.’ With no need, justification, or explicable connection, the police officer lifted his leg and kicked him powerfully and directly in his face. However, the brutality was not over yet. Even after the complainant was sprawled on and pinned to the ground, three police officers leaning over him continued to punch him hard and repeatedly in the head.”
Honenu Attorney Eladi Weisel commented on the case: “The conviction of the violent officers who unjustifiably and brutally assaulted protesters is a first step to doing justice in this case. We hope that the conviction will lead to compensation for the outrageous incident the youth experienced. The time has come for unrestrained, violent police officers to be expelled from the ranks of the Israel Police.”
Knesset Member Limor Son Har-Melech (Otzma Yehudit) was among the protesters at the vineyard destruction. She obstructed a tractor and was then assaulted by four border police officers. Attorney Weisel filed a complaint with the PIU on her behalf and wrote a letter to then Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai demanding that he dismiss the officers responsible for the assault. Over one year after the assault, the PIU replied that the incident would be handled as a disciplinary procedure, not as a criminal investigation. Attorney Weisel filed a detailed appeal over the incident with the State Attorney’s office.
Police brutality during destruction of the vineyard; Video credit: Honenu