Israeli Police Arrest Two Teens for Assaulting Disabled Palestinian Man in West Bank

Israeli police from the Judea and Samaria district arrested two Jewish teenagers on suspicion of attacking an elderly Palestinian man who uses crutches. The incident, which took place on Saturday, was recorded and widely shared on social media platforms both in Israel and internationally, including Turkish media, Al Jazeera, and Al Arabiya. The footage shows one of the suspects striking the man on his back with a metal rod while the other filmed the assault on a mobile phone.

Following the viral video, the Hebron police station launched an investigation that led to the identification and detention of the two suspects. The attacker, a 16-year-old resident of the settlement Avigail, was taken into custody and is expected to appear in court later. His accomplice, a 17-year-old Jerusalem resident who recorded the attack, was placed under house arrest with restrictive conditions. Police also confiscated a vehicle allegedly used by the suspects, noting it was driven without a license.

This incident occurred amid ongoing violent clashes in the West Bank. Earlier in the week, Israeli forces responded to reports of Jewish rioters setting fire to heavy equipment and spraying graffiti in the South Hebron Hills near Susya. No arrests were made at that time. The military condemned these acts and called for law enforcement to hold the perpetrators accountable.

The day after the attack, an unauthorized Israeli group entered the Palestinian village of Sa’ir in the Gush Etzion area, where Palestinians threw stones at them, injuring several. An Israeli security officer shot and killed a 17-year-old Palestinian during the confrontation, with additional Palestinians wounded. Subsequently, the Israelis set fire to a building in the village. Israeli forces arrived on the scene, and police detained three Palestinian residents for questioning. The situation remains tense with ongoing investigations.