The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories (B’Tselem) reported that Mahmoud Al-Hanini 23, from Beit Furik near Nablus was severely beaten up at Beit Furik checkpoint on Tuesday.
The reason, according to some source, was that Al-Hanini insisted on praying at the checkpoint as he had already been held for a long time when the prayer time began. Another source said Hanini wanted to lean on the wall as he got very tired standing in the swelting heat for hours waiting nothing.
In the past three years of the Intifada, B’Tselem has recorded hundreds of assault cases against Palestinians committed by Israeli soldiers at different checkpoints.
This assault was committed less than 24 hours after an Israeli soldier assaulted and shot a young Palestinian at Beit Eiba checkpoint because the soldier claimed that the Palestinian called him a liar.
Currently, the Israeli police are probing this case after an Israeli women from an organization doing a Checkpoint Watch, filed a complaint and demanded an investigation.
B’Tselem said this kind of assault is part of the daily routine that hundreds of Palestinians go through.
The army rarely initiates investigations into assaults cases, said B’Tselem. This time there was media pressure and, more specifically, the incident was reported by the Israeli media, B’Tselem added.
The soldiers started beating Hanini with their helmets as he prepared himself for prayer . Because of excessive bleeding Hanini went unconscious. Eyewitnesses said troops did not allow him to receive first aid.
B’Tselem’s team that was in the region tried to give first aid, but soldiers prevented them saying that "he does not need any aid."
