US 'Troubled' by American's Beating in Israeli Custody
2014-07-06 09:43
Washington - A "profoundly troubled" United States condemned reports on Saturday that an American teenager detained in Israel was "severely beaten" while in police custody, amid heightened tensions with Palestinians.
The parents of Tariq Abu Khder, a 15-year-old cousin of a Palestinian youth murdered earlier this week, have told AFP that their son was arrested in Shuafat after being beaten by police on Thursday during his holiday stay in the area.
State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki said the United States "strongly condemn[s] any excessive use of force," referring to the alleged beating.
Clashes have erupted in recent days, sparked by the abduction and murder of Tariq's cousin Mohammed Abu Khder, aged 16, as autopsy reports showed he was burned alive.
Palestinians said Jewish extremists killed him in revenge for the kidnapping and murder in the West Bank last month of three Israeli teenagers.
Tariq was still in Israeli custody, Psaki confirmed, adding that a US consulate official had visited him on Saturday.
"We are profoundly troubled by reports that he was severely beaten while in police custody," Psaki said in a statement.
"We are calling for a speedy, transparent and credible investigation and full accountability for any excessive use of force."
Rocket fire targeting Israel from Gaza has also increased, raising fears of an escalation with the Islamist movement Hamas, which controls the Palestinian enclave.
"We reiterate our grave concern about the increasing violent incidents, and call on all sides to take steps to restore calm and prevent harm to innocents," Psaki said.
Video circulating on social media
The parents, who saw their son in an Israeli hospital, said they were told Tariq had been arrested for being masked.
Police spokesperson Luba Samri could not confirm it was Tariq in the video, but said the footage was from the arrest of a group of six Palestinians, including Tariq.
The justice ministry, meanwhile, said it was investigating the video.
Samri said police found a sling on Tariq, who had attacked police and resisted arrest, while others were throwing stones and Molotov cocktails, wounding six police.
Tariq is due to appear before a Jerusalem court on Sunday.
- AFP
Israeli forces brutally beat Palestinian-American teenager
Sat Jul 5, 2014 5:55PM GMT
presstv.ir
New video footage has emerged showing masked Israeli forces brutally beating an Palestinian-American teenager in East al-Quds (Jerusalem).
The brutal attack which was first shown on a Palestinian TV channel is said to have happened on Thursday.
The boy’s family is a resident of Florida in the United States. The family of the 15-year old Palestinian-American boy has identified him as Tariq Abu Khdeir.
Relatives say the boy was visiting his uncle’s house in an area away from clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinians when he and five other youths were attacked in the yard by two masked Israeli police officers.
His family says the teenager has been denied medical treatment since he was arrested and taken into custody.
Some sources say Tariq is the cousin of the 16-year-old teenager Mohammed Abu Khdeir who was recently bundled into a car and later burnt to death by Israeli settlers.
Meanwhile, a prominent American advocacy group says Tariq has suffered serious injuries in the beating and is being held under police guard at a hospital.
Activists have demanded the US officials to intervene with Israel and win his release.
“It is the duty of American officials to intervene and secure the release of an American citizen who was so viciously attacked and denied medical treatment,” the Council on American-Islamic Relations said in a statement.
The group also says the Israeli personnel involved in the incident must be brought to justice.
According to the latest figures revealed by the Palestinian Ministry of Information in Ramallah, Israeli forces have killed one Palestinian kid in every three days for the past 13 years. Based on the same source, nearly 1,500 children have been killed during the Second Intifada or popular uprising between 2000 and 2013.
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| Mother of Tariq Abu Khder holds of photograph after beating by Israeli police. |
Washington - A "profoundly troubled" United States condemned reports on Saturday that an American teenager detained in Israel was "severely beaten" while in police custody, amid heightened tensions with Palestinians.
The parents of Tariq Abu Khder, a 15-year-old cousin of a Palestinian youth murdered earlier this week, have told AFP that their son was arrested in Shuafat after being beaten by police on Thursday during his holiday stay in the area.
State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki said the United States "strongly condemn[s] any excessive use of force," referring to the alleged beating.
Clashes have erupted in recent days, sparked by the abduction and murder of Tariq's cousin Mohammed Abu Khder, aged 16, as autopsy reports showed he was burned alive.
Palestinians said Jewish extremists killed him in revenge for the kidnapping and murder in the West Bank last month of three Israeli teenagers.
Tariq was still in Israeli custody, Psaki confirmed, adding that a US consulate official had visited him on Saturday.
"We are profoundly troubled by reports that he was severely beaten while in police custody," Psaki said in a statement.
"We are calling for a speedy, transparent and credible investigation and full accountability for any excessive use of force."
Rocket fire targeting Israel from Gaza has also increased, raising fears of an escalation with the Islamist movement Hamas, which controls the Palestinian enclave.
"We reiterate our grave concern about the increasing violent incidents, and call on all sides to take steps to restore calm and prevent harm to innocents," Psaki said.
Video circulating on social media
The parents, who saw their son in an Israeli hospital, said they were told Tariq had been arrested for being masked.
Police spokesperson Luba Samri could not confirm it was Tariq in the video, but said the footage was from the arrest of a group of six Palestinians, including Tariq.
The justice ministry, meanwhile, said it was investigating the video.
Samri said police found a sling on Tariq, who had attacked police and resisted arrest, while others were throwing stones and Molotov cocktails, wounding six police.
Tariq is due to appear before a Jerusalem court on Sunday.
- AFP
Israeli forces brutally beat Palestinian-American teenager
Sat Jul 5, 2014 5:55PM GMT
presstv.ir
New video footage has emerged showing masked Israeli forces brutally beating an Palestinian-American teenager in East al-Quds (Jerusalem).
The brutal attack which was first shown on a Palestinian TV channel is said to have happened on Thursday.
The boy’s family is a resident of Florida in the United States. The family of the 15-year old Palestinian-American boy has identified him as Tariq Abu Khdeir.
Relatives say the boy was visiting his uncle’s house in an area away from clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinians when he and five other youths were attacked in the yard by two masked Israeli police officers.
His family says the teenager has been denied medical treatment since he was arrested and taken into custody.
Some sources say Tariq is the cousin of the 16-year-old teenager Mohammed Abu Khdeir who was recently bundled into a car and later burnt to death by Israeli settlers.
Meanwhile, a prominent American advocacy group says Tariq has suffered serious injuries in the beating and is being held under police guard at a hospital.
Activists have demanded the US officials to intervene with Israel and win his release.
“It is the duty of American officials to intervene and secure the release of an American citizen who was so viciously attacked and denied medical treatment,” the Council on American-Islamic Relations said in a statement.
The group also says the Israeli personnel involved in the incident must be brought to justice.
According to the latest figures revealed by the Palestinian Ministry of Information in Ramallah, Israeli forces have killed one Palestinian kid in every three days for the past 13 years. Based on the same source, nearly 1,500 children have been killed during the Second Intifada or popular uprising between 2000 and 2013.
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