Jerusalem – The United States called for speedy investigation of an incident in which it said a U.S. citizen of Palestinian descent appeared to have been badly beaten by Israeli paramilitary police during riots in East Jerusalem this week.
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Relatives told The Associated Press that Abu Khdeir’s 15-year-old cousin Tariq, a U.S. citizen who goes to school in Florida, was beaten by police during clashes on Thursday ahead of the funeral. The U.S. Consulate had no immediate comment on the report.
A video clip circulated on the internet on Saturday showed two Israeli Border police holding down and repeatedly pummeling a masked youth before carrying him away.
The family of Tariq Khdeir, 15, from Tampa, Florida, who was visiting family in East Jerusalem, say he was the target of the punches, although the footage is blurred and the victim cannot be identified as he appears also to be wearing a head covering.
A later part of the video shows Khdeir’s face with a heavy black eye and swollen lip. He is the cousin of Mohammed Abu-Khdeir, the youth Palestinians believe was abducted and murdered by far-right Israelis on Wednesday.
The Israeli Justice Ministry said in a statement that the police investigations department was looking into the incident.
U.S. State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said the youth was visited by an official from the consulate in Jerusalem on Saturday.
“We are profoundly troubled by reports that he was severely beaten while in police custody and strongly condemn any excessive use of force. We are calling for a speedy, transparent and credible investigation and full accountability for any excessive use of force,” Psaki said.
Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said Khdeir was one of six rioters caught and detained in the incident, three of whom were found to be carrying knives.
The Florida chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations called on the U.S. Department of State to demand that Israel immediately release Khdeir.
His parents, Suha and Salah, said Tariq was detained but had been treated at an Israeli hospital. They released photos showing his face swollen and badly bruised.
Samri, the Israeli police spokeswoman, said that Tariq Abu Khdeir had resisted arrest and attacked police officers. He was detained with a slingshot in his possession used to hurl stones at police, along with six other protesters, including some armed with knives, she said, adding that several officers were hurt in that specific protest, one of many that day.
Tariq’s father said he witnessed his son’s arrest and insisted the boy was not involved in the violence.
Amateur video of what he said was the beating aired on a local television station, and he said he could recognize his son from his clothing.
The channel that aired it, Palestine Today, is funded by Iranian-backed Islamic Jihad, a militant group that has carried out suicide bombings and other attacks aimed at civilians.
Other footage shows uniformed men dragging someone on the ground.
The face of the person cannot be seen in either video, and the circumstances leading up to the beating are not shown.
Israel’s justice ministry said an investigation had been opened over the footage.
Violent rioters should be hurt! The US should only be as concerned for the MURDERED American citizen. Hypocrisy!
What a horrible and reprehensible act. These soldiers/policemen should be court martialed and jailed for this heinous act. They have also caused untold harm to the image of Israel and Jews abroad, We are a nation of rachmanim,bayshunim, and gomlei chasadim. Lets hope that we remain that way.
#1 – You are the hypocrite. You expect the entire world to feel the pain of us Jews and you apparently do not care for the pain of others.
You have no way of knowing if this boy was rioting. What is clear is that once he was down on the floor the policemen kicked and pummeled him.
Where is the footage before the actual beating began showing this teen attacking Israeli police and resisting arrest?
I agree , this kid had no business rioting in a foreign country . Where were his parents ? I call for a speedy investigation into the parents of this sick kid , where ate they ? What type of normal American let’s their 15 year old kid put on a mask and throw rocks at foreign police ?
Didn’t see US as concerned for a US citizen murdered in cold blood by these savages as it does for this citizen who was beaten up most likely for throwing stones at Israeli police. As for this masked rioter, don’t riot and you wont get hurt. Can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen!
So this kid had to come from Florida to riot and protest
Ought nebech I feel so bad for him
If you can’t handle it stay home tariq
Poor pupsi
It’s no surprise that the Israeli police did this. Where was the world’s complaint when Jewish citizens were pummeled by police when forced to evacuate Gush Katif?
amazing!! while I don’t condone beating anyone, I think it’s interesting that this tariq is called an American citizen and naftali frankel is called an Israeli.
once he is on the ground the police have no right to beat him up. it is the court that decide the punishment
to #10 t every news outlet said one of the boys was a us citizen
Poor innocent kid. The slingshot he was found with was probably a toy and the knives were probably to cut an apple his teacher just gave him. Why do the Israelis always jump to the worst conclusions?
And when US citizens join agenst us in Iraq or Afghanistan we are ok going after them. only Israel has to show restraint