Givat Assaf
Givat AssafFlash 90

Police and Border Guard officers on Wednesday violently raided a study hall in the Samaria community of Givat Assaf and beat the occupants.

The rosh kollel (dean), Rabbi Shimon Fedida, told Arutz Sheva that when he asked police the reason for raiding the holy place, he was violently attacked, knocked to the floor and severely beaten.

According to witnesses, police beat others in the study hall as well. A pregnant woman was also beaten by officers, they said.

Four students were then arrested by police who allege they threw stones at border police officers and ran away. One of those arrested was on crutches.

According to the Honenu civil rights association, "Police arrested several bearded young people on the grounds than they threw stones earlier and then ran. They were taken to the police station in Sha'ar Benjamin."

Attorney Adi Keidar Amutat of Honenu is already present to represent them.

The local Border Guard station said, "Officers responded to a report that a military order banning entry to a closed military zone in Maoz Zion was violated, and they discovered two temporary structures had been erected. No suspects were identified.

"When the officers began to depart, a number of boys began throwing stones at them. The officers gave chase and the boys fled to the study hall in Givat Assaf. Police and border officers then entered the study hall, arresting those identified by the officers, who were attacked.

"All suspects were taken to the Sha'ar Binyamin police station for questioning by investigators," they concluded.

Rabbi Fedida told Aurtz Sheva that the students who were arrested had been studying continuously in the kollel since early morning and that the charge they threw stones earlier in the day was false.