Israeli video pulls back curtain on IDF treatment of Palestinian kids
While in Israel minors are rarely arrested, unless accused of a serious felony, the IDF arrests Palestinian minors for lengthy periods.
In the village of Nabi Saleh on Aug. 28 an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldier wearing a face mask tried to detain Muhamad Tamimi, who had been spotted by a military lookout throwing stones. A group of women is trying to free the frightened Muhamad, 12, from the soldier’s headlock. The boy has a broken arm in a sling. The 3.5-minute video clip of the incident causes Israel much damage.
By Aug. 31, hundreds of thousands of people had watched the video documenting the incident in addition to its wide broadcast on many TV stations across the world.
The soldier's father, whose name has been withheld, told the Israel military radio station that he was proud of his son’s restraint. It was not the soldier’s restraint that ended the event, but rather the wisdom of the commander of the force who instructed the soldier to let the boy go.
“I wasn’t scared,” Muhamad told Al-Monitor. “I only told him [the soldier], 'Watch out for my arm.' That’s why I looked so scared.”
