Southern Israel’s Sde Teiman detention facility was the site of intense protests on Monday as demonstrators clashed with military police. The protestors, including far-right members of the Knesset, were condemning the arrest and detention of nine Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reservists accused of abusing a detained Palestinian man to the point of hospitalization.
The protest at Sde Teiman was not unexpected, given the rhetoric of Israeli lawmakers regarding the treatment of detained Palestinians. Israel’s far-right Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir took to social media to post: “Take your hands off our reservists!” This brazen endorsement of torture was echoed by other politicians, including Likud Party MK Hanoch Mildwidsky, who shouted that sodomizing a detainee is justified if they are a Hamas militant.
The arrest of the reservists has also been condemned by Bezalel Smotrich, the minister of finance, who demanded their release and called them “IDF heroes.” Videos posted on social media showed far-right parliamentarians entering the detention facility, further fueling the protests.
Allegations of the torture of Palestinian detainees by Israeli forces have been mounting for years, especially since the recent war in Gaza. The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights issued a report alleging the death of at least 53 Palestinian detainees in Israeli custody since the war began, as well as the use of waterboarding, electrocution, and sleep deprivation.
The Israel Prison Service has denied all allegations, claiming that Israeli prisons do not violate prisoners’ rights. However, the OHCHR report stated that over 9,400 Palestinians had been detained in Israel from October to June, many without access to a lawyer.
Testimonies in the report described appalling acts of torture, including waterboarding, the release of dogs on detainees, severe beatings, electrocution, and forced stress positions. Detainees also reported blackmail, burns from cigarettes, and being given hallucinogenic pills. The report concluded that both Israel and Palestinian armed groups had committed gross violations and abuses of human rights, including rape and sexual violence.
The protests and storming of the detention facility have been met with mixed reactions in Israel. Some Israelis, including human rights activist Yariv Oppenheimer, have condemned the actions of the arrested reservists and the protests. However, only a handful of government officials, such as Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Interior Minister Moshe Arbel, have publicly condemned the protests and called for adherence to the law.
Despite these condemnations, Israeli security forces at the IDF military bases reportedly showed apathy towards the protestors, and no detentions or arrests have been reported. The IDF has extended the detentions of eight of the ten reservists, who may face charges of aggravated sodomy, assault, and conduct unbecoming of a soldier.
The protests and allegations of torture have deepened the political rift in Israel, with domestic tensions rising and the war in Gaza showing no signs of stopping. The treatment of Palestinian detainees continues to be a contentious issue, with human rights organizations calling for an end to arbitrary detention and the violation of prisoners’ rights.
As the situation unfolds, it remains to be seen how the Israeli government will respond to the protests and the allegations of torture. The international community will be closely watching to see if there will be accountability for these actions and a commitment to upholding human rights standards.