Turmoil at Sde Teiman: Israeli Military Under Fire
Tensions are high as right-wing protesters clash with the Israeli military over the alleged abuse of Palestinian detainees.
Published July 30, 2024 - 00:07am
The Israeli military finds itself at the center of a storm following serious allegations of prisoner abuse at the Sde Teiman facility in the Negev Desert. Minutes after the Israeli military police detained nine soldiers suspected of mistreating a Palestinian prisoner, a crowd of Israeli right-wing protesters, including Knesset members and government ministers, stormed the military base. The detainees were relocated to Beit Lid, where they are currently held for questioning.
The military police's secret investigation was triggered after a Palestinian detainee arrived at Soroka Medical Center in Be'er Sheva with severe injuries. The Times of Israel reported that the detainee, arrested in Gaza, sustained serious injuries, raising suspicions of severe sexual assault by reserve soldiers. This incident has sparked widespread outrage and has been shared widely on social media.
Adding to the chaos, military police attempted to detain ten soldiers guarding the Gaza detainee as part of an inquiry into suspected 'serious violations against a detainee.' Nine soldiers were apprehended, while the tenth remains at large. The military police initiated the probe under direct orders from Chief Military Prosecutor Yifat Tomer Yerushalmi.
Human rights organizations, including the Association for Civil Rights in Israel, have decried the harsh treatment of Palestinian detainees at Sde Teiman, a former military base recently designated for closure. These organizations emphasize the severe complications faced by Israel's justice and military apparatus due to looming international legal entanglements.
The scene escalated when right-wing politicians expressed their support for the detained soldiers. Right-wing protesters forcibly entered the base, leading to a struggle with military police to disperse the crowd. Israeli television channels aired footage of the protesters attempting to breach the facility's gates, with a notable far-right minister amongst them.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant condemned the incident as detrimental to Israeli democracy, asserting that it serves enemy interests during wartime. He urged law enforcement to act immediately against lawbreakers and called on elected officials to refrain from irresponsible statements dragging the military into political conflicts.
The Base Commander, Chief of Staff Herzi Halevy, and other senior officials echoed Gallant's sentiments, reiterating the imperative to uphold law and order within military ranks. Meanwhile, scenes of civilian protesters clashing with military personnel inside Sde Teiman add fuel to the already volatile situation.
High-profile political figures such as Itamar Ben Gvir criticized the military police's actions, describing the arrests as shameful. Knesset member Almog Cohen abandoned his parliamentary duties to show solidarity with the soldiers, while far-right politicians utilized the incident to question the military's handling of alleged abuse cases.
A major rift has emerged between the Israeli police and military over the delayed arrival and inadequate response to the base breach. Military authorities preferred to avoid direct confrontation with protesters, leaving law enforcement to manage the situation under their jurisdiction.
Leading figures such as Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Energy Minister Eli Cohen vocally supported the accused soldiers, arguing that soldiers executing their duties should be respected, not criminalized. This stance has led to sharp criticism from opposition leaders and human rights advocates.
Since the onset of the Gaza conflict, Sde Teiman has emerged as a contentious symbol, particularly following reports of dire conditions and abuses within the facility. Media coverage and reports from organizations like Physicians for Human Rights-Israel (PHRI) indicate a pattern of violence against detainees, some of whom have faced lethal outcomes due to harsh treatment.
The Israeli Justice Ministry and international human rights bodies are evaluating these allegations. The U.S. State Department has expressed concern over Israel's treatment of Palestinian detainees, suggesting significant diplomatic repercussions. Concurrently, the military is also grappling with public backlash over viral videos showing soldiers engaging in destructive behavior, such as the demolition of a major water tank in Rafah.
Contentions surrounding Sde Teiman have spotlighted a broader crisis of internal policy and international scrutiny. As political factions within Israel continue to clash over the military's ethical boundaries, the implications of these actions resonate beyond national borders.