Teen from Qattana: Israeli soldiers break his legs, force him to walk

Defense for Children International has documented the arrest by Israeli soldiers of 16 year-old Mahmoud Omar Faqeh from Qattana village northwest of Jerusalem. Defense for Children International revealed that the Israelis were in direct violation of many international standards for the treatment of children during arrests.

As the teen explained to Defense for Children International, Mahmoud was going with his friends to a place near the Apartheid Wall in Beit Sourek village when they were attacked by Israeli soldiers.

"One of the Israeli soldiers fired a rubber bullet at my leg, and then another Israeli soldier caught me and two of my friends. As soon as they arrested me, they forced me to get down and face the ground. They handcuffed me with a plastic tie. They started to severely beat me on my body and my legs with their feet and the black sticks that they were holding," said Mahmoud. "I was screaming from the pain they caused me. Though I was shouting 'my legs are broken,' they continued to beat me for almost 15 minutes."

"After that, the soldiers took me off the ground and arrested me. Because I couldn't walk on my legs, the soldiers started to beat me again and asked me to stand up, but I couldn't from the pain. They lifted me and forced me to walk, so I walked a little bit and I fell. Then two soldiers held me by my shoulders and dragged me until we reached the Apartheid Wall. They put me on Ma'bad Street near the wall, and they started to beat me again until a military vehicle came and took me to the nearest military checkpoints. I think it was Beit Eksa checkpoint, but, because the soldiers blindfolded my eyes with the woolen hat I was wearing, I couldn't see anything." more

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