12 Israelis Arrested in Crackdown
JERUSALEM — Israel has arrested 12 men from its paramilitary border police in an investigation of incidents that include the death of a Palestinian youth in custody in the West Bank city of Hebron.
Three of the suspects appeared at a hearing in a Jerusalem court Monday as the Justice Ministry widened its examination of the death of 17-year-old Imram Abu Hamdia on Dec. 30.
Palestinian witnesses told the Israeli human rights group B’Tselem that Hamdia hit his head and died after border policemen threw him from a moving jeep.
Israeli media said Justice Ministry investigators believe the suspects were avenging five comrades killed, along with seven other Israelis, in a Palestinian ambush in November.
Justice Ministry officials were not available for comment.
No charges have been filed so far in the case.
Four of the 12 suspects from the border police’s 25th Platoon were arrested in connection with Hamdia’s killing. The other eight in custody are suspected of nonlethal attacks on Hebron residents and their property, including setting off stun grenades close to crowds.
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