Israeli Police Beat Up Katif Spokeswoman at Check Point

On Tuesday, August 9th, at 5:30 p.m., Katif Council Spokeswoman Debbi Rosen was returning to her home in Neve Dekalim from prayers at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, when she was stopped at the Kissufim junction.

Debbi was asked for her Israel identification card, which she showed the police at the junction.

Debbi was then asked by the police to show them the ID of her young daughter who was travelling with her.

Debbi laughed and said that she is too young to have an ID card.

The police then dragged Debbi from her car, pushed her to the ground and beat her in all parts of her body.

This report is from an eyewitness account.

Follow up – [Lt. Col. involved] Police beat Katif Spokeswoman Debbi Rosen

Dr. Aaron Lerner Date: 10 August 2005

IMRA reached Debbi Rosen, who provides public relations service to Gush Katif, this morning.

Yesterday she was talking on her cellular phone with a spokesman in the Israeli Consulate in New York as she was driving and reached Kissufim Junction. She showed her ID card and the IDF Lt. Colonel who was there claimed that she was deliberately talking on her phone. She told him who she was talking with and offered to give him the phone to hear for himself.

He then asked for the ID card of her 17 year old daughter who was with her in the car. Her daughter did not have her card with her but Debbi showed the attachment to her ID car showing the details of her daughter.

The Lt. General told her that her daughter had to come with her own ID card.

Debbi turned around but then came back and asked the Lt. Colonel for his name.

He refused and Debbi said she would not move her car until he identified himself.

The police with him said that they would bring a tow truck and tow her away if she didn’t move.

She pulled her car over to the side and took out her new Nikon D70 camera and started photographing the Lt. Colonel and the police told her to stop photographing and said that they would get the Lt. Colonel’s name for her and she said that she wanted to get the details directly from him – as she had given him her details.

The police threw her camera to the ground and started pushing her. When she put up her hand a policeman announced that she was “attacking a policeman” and threw her to the ground, put a knee on her and twisted her arm.

As a result of her wounds, Debbi was evacuated, at her request, by ambulance to Soroka Hospital. She was released that evening.

The doctor’s release report details, among other things: bruises and abrasions on the shoulders, swelling and limited mobility of one wrist and marks that indicate violence on the other hand

Debbi is filing charges against the two policemen involved in the attack (she has their names) with the police and also intends to sue them in civil court.

It is not clear if the Police will cover the judgment against the police for their actions.

According to Page 35 of the brochure prepared by the Israel Police for police participating in the disengagement:

“If you acted within the framework of fulfilling your job and in accordance with the instructions and guidelines, you qualify for legal assistance also against civil suits. You will be defended by the Advocacy or the Police.

In principle, the Police will give you help, including the payment of compensation, also if it is found that there was negligence, so long as this is not an instance of behavior that constitutes a radical deviation from the carrying out of your role. It should be emphasized that each instance will be examined on its own.”

Dr. Aaron Lerner, Director IMRA (Independent Media Review & Analysis)
(Mail POB 982 Kfar Sava)
Tel 972-9-7604719/Fax 972-3-7255730
INTERNET ADDRESS: imra@netvision.net.il
Website: imra.org.il