An Israeli soldier was convicted yesterday for assaulting a 25-year-old Palestinian woman after choking and grabbing her by the hair after ripping off her headscarf, despite not presenting any threats, reported Haaretz.
The Jerusalem Magistrate Court declared that the soldier, Orian Ben Khalifa, had no reason to impose force against Hala Salim, who suffered bruises and scratches as a result of the abuse. Moreover, when Salim was dragged by the hair to jail for holding, where she spent the night, she accused the soldier of calling her a “whore” and cursing her family.
According to The Jerusalem Post, Orian was on duty to block the entry of an area near Jerusalem’s Old City Lion’s Gate, one of the entrances of Al-Aqsa Mosque, in November 2021 when Salim, her brother and her mother attempted to pass.
Orian had denied the family entry, but when the family continued to request access, the Court said the soldier had unnecessarily resorted to violence by pushing Hala without prior physical instigation. The soldier had grabbed Hala by her headscarf and hair, resulting in the religious garment’s removal.
Judge Joya Skappa-Shapiro found that, in what began as a verbal altercation, Orian “was quick to respond with force and shoved the complainant several times. There was no authority to use force and the shoves were not only unnecessary, but also ignited a more serious violent incident.”
An Israeli border soldier in mandatory service who had been partnered with Orian also stated in a testimony claiming Orian had used excessive force, and supported Hala’s recounting of events.
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“The accused is a young woman with conventional ambitions, who devoted a significant part of her adult life to the service of the state and its citizens, and who failed and deviated from the line of duty during an operational activity under difficult conditions and in a flashpoint area. Although these points do not absolve her of guilt, they will be considered and reflected in the context of the sentence,” added the judge.
In response, far-right Israeli National Security Minister, Itamar Ben Gvir, slammed the Judge’s ruling, claiming the verdict was “not final” and that he will contact police to do what he can for Orian.
“In any case, as far as I am concerned, the verdict, which is not final and conclusive, is not the final word in the officer’s service in the police, certainly when she was acquitted of the serious offences. I will study the verdict, I will ask the police commissioner and the head of the Border Police to formulate their position and then a final decision will be made regarding the officer,” he said.
Montather Rassoul