The injured youth; Photo credit: Courtesy of the family
Thursday, March 12, 2020, 19:12 On Thursday, March 12, The brother of the seriously injured youth from Yitzhar arrived at the Ariel Police Station, at their request, to file a complaint and give testimony about the attack in Hawara.
The brother, a 15-year-old minor, was shocked to find himself interrogated under warning as a suspect. The father was at his injured son’s bedside and therefore did not accompany the other son to the police station. The minor was interrogated without a parent present, in violation of the Youth Law.
Honenu Attorney Chayim Bleicher, who is assisting the family, leveled criticism at the police: “Unfortunately we have witnessed another victim being interrogated as a suspect, the brother of a youth injured right in front of him, who was only a step away from death. Their only fault was that they dared to dance around their car on Route 60. We demand that the police apprehend terrorists and eradicate terror instead of intimidating citizens for feeling free to be happy in their own land.”
On the night of Tuesday, March 10, in Hawara, an Arab threw a cinder block from very close range at the 14-year-old youth from Yitzhar, causing a cranial fracture and internal bleeding. After deteriorating overnight, in the morning the youth’s condition stabilized and was classified serious, but stable. On Wednesday he underwent complex cranial surgery and today (Thursday) his condition has improved. A lengthy and complicated rehabilitation is expected.
The father of the youths stated, “I have nothing to say other than that the investigators in the Ariel Police are liars. They summoned a 15-year-old boy who was a witness to his brother’s serious injury to give testimony and then they told him that he was really a suspect and being interrogated under warning. Disgusting.”