Two Jews who were attacked by an Arab mob on Shabbat were rescued, treated by doctors… and promptly arrested.
According to a statement released by the Honenu legal aid organization, the detainees, one of whom is an IDF veteran who was recently discharged, were surrounded and attacked by about 20 Arabs next to the Cave of the Patriarchs on Shabbat. IDF forces reacted quickly and rescued the men. Eventually, they were evacuated by the IDF to a Jerusalem hospital for medical treatment. One man was treated for injuries to his leg, the other for a dislocated shoulder.
But once removed from the scene of the attack, police detained the men and detained them for questioning after local Arabs complained that they had started the fight.
This morning (Wednesday) the men appeared in the Jerusalem Magistrates Court. Police asked to extend their remand.
One police official said that while three members of the Arab mob were also arrested, they also claimed that the Jews should also be held in custody while police investigate the veracity of their claims.
Itamar Ben Gvir, a Honenu-appointed attorney who is representing the defendants, said police did not complete even minimal investigative work, such as review footage from security cameras at the site, to clarify what happened on Shabbat. Ben Gvir also called the arrest of the Jewish men “illegal,”
Justice Yael Yitav accepted the defense claim that there is little danger that the men will commit a crime if released, and she ordered them released to house arrest. The men were also banned from entering Hebron for 30 days.
“The Hebron police must look at themselves very carefully,” said Ben-Gvir. “Jews are attacked and hurt, but they are ones arrested. During the hearing I had the distinct feel that the police have a very short memory and failed to take into account that just a week-and-a-half ago three boys were abducted, not far from Hebron. “Police actions in this case give important moral support for the kidnappers. “