Israeli extremist minister Ben-Gvir supports officer accused of assaulting Palestinian journalist

Israel's extreme-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has offered support to a suspended Border Police officer accused of beating a Palestinian journalist, injuring his eyes, last Saturday in Jerusalem.

Ben-Gvir also said he had promised to return the officer to work as soon as possible, urging the police not to hold its officers accountable for attacks under the current "crucial" circumstances.

In a Hebrew-language post on X, formerly Twitter, Ben-Gvir stated, "I visited a border police officer in East Jerusalem and spoke with him," adding, "I shook his hand and told him that I will work on getting him back to operational activity as soon as possible."

שוחחתי הערב עם לוחם מג"ב, קצין מצטיין אשר חשוד בתקיפת צלם תומך חמאס במזרח ירושלים ביום שישי האחרון. חיזקתי את ידו והודעתי לו כי אפעל להחזרתו לפעילות מבצעית מיד כשיסתיימו תשעת ימי ההשעיה שמח"ש קבעה. אסור לנו לשפוט לוחמים "בתנאי מעבדה"!

— איתמר בן גביר (@itamarbengvir) December 16, 2023

Commenting on the suspension of the police officer, Ben-Gvir remarked, "The days of suspension imposed by the Israeli Defence Forces are over. We must not judge fighters under crucial circumstances."

A statement from Ben-Gvir's office claimed that the photographer "supports Hamas," and that Ben-Gvir had instructed the return of the officer and other soldiers to normal operations after the nine-day suspension announced by the police.

The Israeli police had announced an investigation into those accused of beating the Palestinian photographer Mustafa Al-Kharouf, before releasing the officers on restrictive conditions.

Videos showed a soldier hitting the photographer on the head with his weapon, then another soldier knocking him to the ground and restraining his movement. The first soldier then repeatedly kicked the photographer in the head.

Al-Kharouf, a journalist and photographer working for the Anadolu news agency was assaulted while covering Friday prayers in the Wadi al-Joz neighborhood of Jerusalem, close to the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

He was injured in his eyes and was taken to St. John Eye Hospital in Jerusalem.

For the past 10 weeks, residents of Jerusalem have been praying on Fridays in the East Jerusalem neighbourhoods of Wadi al-Joz and Ras al-Amud, after worshippers were prevented from entering Al-Aqsa.

As soon as the prayers conclude, Israeli forces typically attack the worshippers with tear gas, sound bombs, and sewage water to disperse them.