Police beating youth at Amona
Police beating youth at AmonaIsrael news photo

A Jerusalem court Tuesday voided indictments that were handed down three years ago against two youths who allegedly assaulted police at the violent police expulsion of several residents of Amona, located in Samaria. Opposition to the expulsion was headed by nationalists, whose symbol was the color orange.

The court agreed with the defense lawyers that police had refused to turn over to the attorneys all of the evidence investigators had gathered, despite claims by police that they were not hiding any information.

One of the two defendants is David Schwartz, who is participating in an IDF officers' course and was tank commander in the Operation Cast Lead counterterrorist campaign early this year.

Documented violence at Amona has resulted in legal suits against several police officers. Then-Knesset Member Effie Eitam and current MK Aryeh Eldad were among those who were wounded. A Knesset inquiry determined that police used excessive brutality.

The police violence marked a significant setback in government attempts to reduce the presence of Jews in Judea and Samaria. Thousands of Border Police and Israeli policemen, including officers on horseback and armed with clubs, participated in the expulsion of several residents, backed by approximately 4,000 protestors.

Filmed evidence showed the demonstrators in a peaceful sit-down rally at the site, where mounted police charged and trampled several victims. More than 300 people were injured.