Israeli soldier jailed for abusing Palestinian inmates

A military court in Israel has sentenced a soldier to seven months in prison for abusing captured Palestinians, following the outbreak last October of anti-Israeli attacks, the military said Thursday.

A statement in response to an AFP query said the man was found guilty Wednesday “on multiple accounts of mistreating apprehended individuals”.

“The Israel Defense Forces (army) see in these extreme incidents a total violation and disregard of the IDF’s Code of Conduct and strongly condemns these actions,” it said.

The statement did not disclose the offences but news website Ynet said the soldier “on two occasions beat and abused detained Palestinians and also took part in giving electric shock to one of them”.

The army statement said the court had yet to rule on “other suspects involved in these extreme incidents”.

Ynet said the first incident -- involving a Palestinian arrested on suspicion of militant activity -- took place in October when a wave of Palestinian attacks erupted.

The second took place about a week later, with a different prisoner, it said.

The violence has since claimed the lives of 26 Israelis, as well as an American, a Sudanese and an Eritrean, according to an AFP count.

And 166 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces since October 1, most of whom were carrying out attacks while others died during clashes and demonstrations.