IDF soldier faces probe for forcing Palestinian captive to eat feces

An Israeli soldier is expected to be charged with severely abusing a handcuffed and blindfolded Palestinian detainee at an army post near Jenin in the occupied West Bank, the Israeli military said Tuesday.

The announcement followed a Channel 12 report detailing allegations that the soldier beat the 22-year-old man, burned him with cigarettes, urinated on him and smeared feces on his body and forced him to eat it.

The Palestinian was detained Oct. 22 after soldiers from the Paratroopers Brigade found a knife in his car during vehicle inspections at the Gilboa Crossing, north of Jenin, according to the report.

He was taken in handcuffs to the nearby Jalamah army post and held at a guard post while awaiting questioning by the Shin Bet security service.

A soldier stationed there kicked the detainee, struck him with a rifle butt and extinguished cigarettes on his body, Channel 12 reported. The soldier also urinated on him and defecated inside the post before smearing feces on him.

Other soldiers who arrived at the post noticed a strong odor and saw evidence of the alleged abuse, the broadcaster said. They reported the incident to their commanders and the battalion commander referred the case to military police.

The Israeli military confirmed that military police had opened an investigation into "the severe abuse of a handcuffed and blindfolded Palestinian detainee" following reports from commanders. One conscript was arrested.

The military said the Palestinian was subsequently released. Channel 12 reported that he was released without charge and later testified before military police about the abuse.

During questioning, the soldier admitted striking the detainee but denied the other allegations, according to the broadcaster. It said his account conflicted with information held by investigators and testimony from other soldiers.

A military court ordered the soldier held until Nov. 12 (Thursday) to allow a hearing before prosecutors file an indictment, the military said.

Few investigations into such allegations against Israeli soldiers lead to indictments and proceedings rarely result in punishment.

Charges were dropped against five Israeli soldiers accused of raping a Palestinian detainee at the Sde Teiman detention center despite video footage related to the incident.