Israeli Army Invades Qusin, Two Children Arrested and Tortured

On Monday night at 9pm, twelve Israeli jeeps
stormed into the West Bank village of Qusin
firing live ammunition, rubber bullets, tear
gas and sound bombs. All men in the village
between the ages of fifteen and forty were
brought to the playground of the local school.
The army took pictures of all the older men
whilst interrogating the teenagers, looking for
“wanted” children who had thrown stones at
the armoured jeeps. At one point, a soldier held
a knife to the throat of a twelve year old boy
and threatened to kill him. After three hours
the army arrested two sixteen year old boys,
Hassan Fachri and Ali Nayef,
releasing everybody else.

The two boys were handcuffed, blindfolded
and taken to Keddemim police station, where
they were tortured for seven hours before being
released. They were held together in a small filthy
cell, blindfolded and denied food and water.
Hassan was denied access to the toilet facilities.
Both were prevented from sleeping by soldiers
who stood behind them cocking their guns, yelling
death threats at them. The boys were badly beaten
throughout the ordeal, receiving punches
to the face and kicks from the soldiers. At
3am Hassan was thrown outside into the
freezing rain for some time.

Ali signed legal papers under coercion.
He believes that the papers are a contract
not to throw stones, and that the penalty for
breach is a five year jail term. However,
Hassan signed similar papers in July 2007
after being arrested for attending a non-violent
demonstration, and is now being penalised
despite lack of breach. His father’s permission
to work in Israel has now been confiscated
and he has been fined 5,000 NIS.

During Hassan’s first arrest he also received
severe treatment by the Israeli army. He was
held for three days in Keddemim, and only
given two meals throughout. His arms were
tied behind his back while he was beaten to
such a severe degree that he suffered head
trauma and a dislocated elbow.

The boys were finally released at 7am Tuesday
morning, warning Ali as he left that if he were
to be caught throwing stones, the army would
evict the 1,500 residents of Quisin from the
village, closing the road from 9pm until the
following morning. The army kept Hassan’s
ID card and so far have not given it back.
The army never returned his ID after his
first arrest.