Israeli activists police headbutting Palestinian woman

[pkpatriotic]

Israeli activists police headbutting woman
24 Nov 2008 21:56:42 GMT
Source: Reuters
(Adds Israeli police comment)

JERUSALEM, Nov 24 (Reuters) - An Israeli human rights group on Monday released a video showing a helmeted Israeli policeman headbutting a Palestinian woman who was protesting the demolition of homes in Arab East Jerusalem three weeks ago.

The group, B'Tselem, said the incident was filmed by one of its researchers during Israel's Nov. 5 demolition of homes built by Palestinians without permission from Jerusalem Municipality.

An Israeli police spokesman said the incident was being investigated. Severe rioting had broken out in protest against the demolition and five officers were wounded, he said.

Eleven demonstrators were arrested for assaulting policemen and throwing firebombs and six police vehicles were damaged.

"This event was exceptional and is being examined by an external investigation unit that is probing the whole incident," police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said.

B'Tselem monitors human rights violations in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Arab East Jerusalem.

In July, B'Tselem activists filmed two Israeli soldiers shooting a bound Palestinian with a rubber bullet. The soldiers were later court-martialled by the military. (Additional reporting by Lianne Gross, writing by Joseph Nasr and Ori Lewis; Editing by Angus MacSwan)