Rabbis to Netanyahu: Israeli security tortured ‘Jewish terrorists’ to extract confessions

Dozens of rabbis associated with the religious Zionist or settlement movement expressed concern that torture was used against suspected Jewish terrorists to unlawfully extract confessions in a Palestinian murder case. 

By: World Israel News Staff

Dozens of rabbis signed a petition calling on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked to stop court proceedings against suspected Jewish terrorists and set up a committee of inquiry into charges that Jewish youths suspected of murdering a Palestinian were tortured.

Torture used to extract confessions undermined the credibility of the state’s case in the Duma arson incident, which resulted in the death of 18-month-old Ali Dawabsheh and his parents after a firebomb was thrown into their home during the night.

Amiram Ben-Uliel was indicted for the murders and a Jewish minor was accused of aiding Ben-Uliel.

The Shin Bet, Israel’s Security Agency, used what is euphemistically referred to as “enhanced interrogation methods” which in reality is coercion and torture to extract confessions from the two suspects.

In their petition, the rabbis issued a demand to halt the court proceedings and the establishment of an independent committee of inquiry.

Among the signatures were Rabbis Dov Lior, Zalman Melamed, Yitzhak Ginsberg and Elyakim Levanon.