"The police are trying to scare anti-expulsion protestors that their parents will be arrested, but they won't scare us." So says a woman whose husband was arrested - along with their two toddlers.
Ruth Sariel, a mother of ten from Elon Moreh, told Arutz-7 today of the police "harassment" against her and her family that has been ongoing for three months. The latest incident was the "arrest" of her two youngest children, aged 3 and 5, together with their father.
She told Arutz-7, "Two of our teenaged daughters have a court date in two weeks' time because of the road-blockings of a few weeks ago. Last night, when only my husband and the two little ones were home, the police came and said that we hadn't responded to a summons, and therefore they were arresting him. When he said that there was no one to watch the two little ones, they ignored him, and actually piled up all three of them into the paddy wagon and took them to the police station in Ariel."
The two children slept on their father's lap. "I called the police," Ruth said, "and demanded that the children be brought back immediately. The police refused, and even threatened to give the children to a family that would take them in. They also threatened my husband that he would be under arrest until July 18, the date of the court hearing."
This morning, as well, her demands to return the children and police threats in response continued, while in the meantime, the three "criminals" were taken to the Rishon LeTzion police station. Finally, this afternoon, the police agreed to bring them back to Ariel, and after more cajoling, all the way back to Elon Moreh. The police originally charged the mother with "taking advantage" of her children to besmirch the police.
Meanwhile, the Sariels' 18-year-old son Baruch was in the same police station in Ariel - unaware that his father and little brothers were being held by the police. "How Baruch got there is another whole story," Ruth said. "It's hard for me to keep track of all the arrests."
When she finally was able to get the story in order, she related that Baruch had been arrested a while ago for his role in resisting the destruction of the Gilad Outpost, and then later for taking part in the road-blockings. He was held for a week, then released, then held and released again - until last Wednesday, when two policemen arrived at the house, without a warrant, to arrest him.
"When I would not let them arrest him without a warrant," Ruth continued, "they said that it was back at the police station in Ariel - but they didn't produce it. Instead, without warning, eight Yasamnikim [special forces] burst into the house and proceeded to carry out the arrest forcibly. I demanded that they leave my house, that they were there unlawfully, but they told me to shut up and the like. I called Honenu, and in accordance with their instructions, my daughter asked each one to identify himself; none of them were wearing ID tags, and some refused to tell her their names. Afterwards, I even lay down on the ground in front of the jeep, but they pulled me away. Baruch has been in prison since then, and will be until his hearing next week... He's not easily broken by these things."
As an aside, Ruth mentioned that her daughter had been placed in jail for two days for "attacking a police officer." Ruth said, "I asked her if that's what happened, and she said, sarcastically, 'Sure, I beat up a police officer. What really happened is that the policewoman choked me around my neck, and so instinctively you fight back - and then right away they slap you with 'attacking a police officer.'"
"It's clear that the police are trying to scare us, and especially our family," Ruth said. "They don't like the fact that we are opposing this uprooting plan from Gush Katif and northern Shomron - but it won't scare us."
Additional reports of police harassment have also arrived at the Arutz-7 newsroom. Three youths under arrest on suspicion of planning to spread nails and spikes on roads in opposition to the disengagement plan say they are being severely mistreated. In a court hearing last night in which their custody was extended, they told their family members that they were placed on chairs for a week without being able to get up and had their hands tied continually. They were interrogated by the GSS, instead of by the police, and one of them submitted a complaint that he was beaten during the interrogation.
In Maasiyahu Prison in Ramle, where some 20-25 youths still remain after being arrested six weeks ago, reports of jailers' sympathy for and admiration of the youths' idealism are being replaced by reports of cruel and harsh treatment. One boy is reported to have been hit for putting his feet on a chair. Another one is reported to have been beaten by the prison commander after he obeyed an instruction to stop singing - but not an order to stop smiling.
Asked where "public pressure" can be applied regarding the mis-treatment of the youths, a person familiar with the story suggested the following:
* The Prime Minister's Office - "webmaster@pmo.gov.il", fax number 02-670-5475 (+9722-670-5475, from outside Israel)
* Public Security Ministry Gideon Ezra - sar@mops.gov.il, fax 02-530-8039 (+9722-530-8039, from outside Israel)
* Knesset Law Committee Chairman MK Michael Eitan - email address: "meitan@knesset.gov.il"
Ruth Sariel, a mother of ten from Elon Moreh, told Arutz-7 today of the police "harassment" against her and her family that has been ongoing for three months. The latest incident was the "arrest" of her two youngest children, aged 3 and 5, together with their father.
She told Arutz-7, "Two of our teenaged daughters have a court date in two weeks' time because of the road-blockings of a few weeks ago. Last night, when only my husband and the two little ones were home, the police came and said that we hadn't responded to a summons, and therefore they were arresting him. When he said that there was no one to watch the two little ones, they ignored him, and actually piled up all three of them into the paddy wagon and took them to the police station in Ariel."
The two children slept on their father's lap. "I called the police," Ruth said, "and demanded that the children be brought back immediately. The police refused, and even threatened to give the children to a family that would take them in. They also threatened my husband that he would be under arrest until July 18, the date of the court hearing."
This morning, as well, her demands to return the children and police threats in response continued, while in the meantime, the three "criminals" were taken to the Rishon LeTzion police station. Finally, this afternoon, the police agreed to bring them back to Ariel, and after more cajoling, all the way back to Elon Moreh. The police originally charged the mother with "taking advantage" of her children to besmirch the police.
Meanwhile, the Sariels' 18-year-old son Baruch was in the same police station in Ariel - unaware that his father and little brothers were being held by the police. "How Baruch got there is another whole story," Ruth said. "It's hard for me to keep track of all the arrests."
When she finally was able to get the story in order, she related that Baruch had been arrested a while ago for his role in resisting the destruction of the Gilad Outpost, and then later for taking part in the road-blockings. He was held for a week, then released, then held and released again - until last Wednesday, when two policemen arrived at the house, without a warrant, to arrest him.
"When I would not let them arrest him without a warrant," Ruth continued, "they said that it was back at the police station in Ariel - but they didn't produce it. Instead, without warning, eight Yasamnikim [special forces] burst into the house and proceeded to carry out the arrest forcibly. I demanded that they leave my house, that they were there unlawfully, but they told me to shut up and the like. I called Honenu, and in accordance with their instructions, my daughter asked each one to identify himself; none of them were wearing ID tags, and some refused to tell her their names. Afterwards, I even lay down on the ground in front of the jeep, but they pulled me away. Baruch has been in prison since then, and will be until his hearing next week... He's not easily broken by these things."
As an aside, Ruth mentioned that her daughter had been placed in jail for two days for "attacking a police officer." Ruth said, "I asked her if that's what happened, and she said, sarcastically, 'Sure, I beat up a police officer. What really happened is that the policewoman choked me around my neck, and so instinctively you fight back - and then right away they slap you with 'attacking a police officer.'"
"It's clear that the police are trying to scare us, and especially our family," Ruth said. "They don't like the fact that we are opposing this uprooting plan from Gush Katif and northern Shomron - but it won't scare us."
Additional reports of police harassment have also arrived at the Arutz-7 newsroom. Three youths under arrest on suspicion of planning to spread nails and spikes on roads in opposition to the disengagement plan say they are being severely mistreated. In a court hearing last night in which their custody was extended, they told their family members that they were placed on chairs for a week without being able to get up and had their hands tied continually. They were interrogated by the GSS, instead of by the police, and one of them submitted a complaint that he was beaten during the interrogation.
In Maasiyahu Prison in Ramle, where some 20-25 youths still remain after being arrested six weeks ago, reports of jailers' sympathy for and admiration of the youths' idealism are being replaced by reports of cruel and harsh treatment. One boy is reported to have been hit for putting his feet on a chair. Another one is reported to have been beaten by the prison commander after he obeyed an instruction to stop singing - but not an order to stop smiling.
Asked where "public pressure" can be applied regarding the mis-treatment of the youths, a person familiar with the story suggested the following:
* The Prime Minister's Office - "webmaster@pmo.gov.il", fax number 02-670-5475 (+9722-670-5475, from outside Israel)
* Public Security Ministry Gideon Ezra - sar@mops.gov.il, fax 02-530-8039 (+9722-530-8039, from outside Israel)
* Knesset Law Committee Chairman MK Michael Eitan - email address: "meitan@knesset.gov.il"