Israeli Army Announces Plans for Soldiers Accused of Abuse to Resume Duty

Israeli Military Reinstates Reservists Accused of Detainee Abuse

Five soldiers from Israel’s Force 100 unit have been reinstated to their reserve service despite being accused of sexually assaulting a Palestinian inmate in the Sde Teiman detention camp. The soldiers, who were previously charged with aggravated assault and causing severe injury, had their charges dropped by Israel’s top military lawyer last month.

According to reports, some of the reservists have already returned to active duty, including deployment to combat roles. An Israeli army statement confirmed that the investigation into the soldiers’ conduct has not prevented them from continuing to serve. The command-level investigation is expected to be completed as soon as possible.

The soldiers were accused of abusing a Palestinian man in Sde Teiman, causing cracked ribs, a punctured lung, and an internal tear. A doctor at the facility reported being shocked by the detainee’s condition, initially assuming it was the work of a rival armed group.

Rights groups have condemned the decision to drop the charges, with Amnesty International calling it “yet another unconscionable chapter in the Israeli legal system’s long-standing history of granting impunity to perpetrators of grave crimes against Palestinians.” The Committee to Protect Journalists has also reported widespread abuse and mistreatment of Palestinian detainees in Israeli custody.

The incident is part of a larger pattern of allegations of detainee abuse and torture in Israel. A February report by the Committee to Protect Journalists cited dozens of formerly detained Palestinian journalists describing “routine beatings, starvation and sexual assault” in Israeli custody.

Source: Al Jazeera