A European left-wing activist was arrested on Saturday near the Barkai neighborhood at the entrance to the settlement of Carmel in Judea and Samaria, following an incident in which he was filmed clinging to a 10-year-old Jewish boy in a manner that raised suspicion of sexual harassment. The boy's father filed a complaint with the police, and the suspect was detained at the scene until officers arrived. He was then arrested and taken in for questioning.
The incident began when three children, ages 10 to 12, made their way from the settlement of Carmel toward the Barkai neighborhood. About 50 meters (164 feet) from the neighborhood, the children encountered Palestinians and foreign left-wing activists who were in the area, and at some point, the group began to obstruct their path. During the confrontation, the suspect was filmed clinging to the 10-year-old boy, in a manner that led to suspicion of sexual harassment.
Residents of the neighborhood, who noticed what was happening and the children's distress, arrived at the scene and detained the suspect until security forces arrived. Police arrested him, and the boy's father filed a formal complaint.
Video: Arab rioters throw stones at Israelis. Credit: Usage under Israel's Intellectual Property Law Article 27(a)
The Barkai neighborhood is located at the entrance to Carmel, near a cluster of Palestinian homes built in the area over the years, outside the built-up continuity of the village. European left-wing activists also stay in the area, living alongside the Palestinians and operating under what they describe as a "protective presence."
The extended presence of these activists in the area has also raised questions regarding the status under which they are staying in Israel. Tourist visas are meant for visits and tourism, and the Population and Immigration Authority requires, among other things, a detailed statement of the visit's purpose. In practice, some of the activists remain in the area for extended periods and take part in political activity on the ground alongside the Palestinians.
Following the incident, Eliram Azulay, head of the South Hebron Hills Regional Council, criticized the activity of these activists in the area. "We have been experiencing a long period of provocations from anti-Israel activists who live near the Barkai neighborhood and try every way possible to disrupt residents' daily routine," he said. He added, "This time, it's a dangerous and criminal red line that must not be met with silence. Harming children is a serious crime, and we expect the Israel Police and the justice system to enforce the full severity of the law against the attacker, without compromise."
However, alongside the suspect's arrest, Nadav Weiman, CEO of "Breaking the Silence", published a completely different version on social media. Weiman wrote that "settlers kidnapped an international protective presence activist from the Palestinian village of Umm al-Khair," and claimed that "settler children from the outpost stole a ball from Palestinian children, then called armed adults who kidnapped the activist." He also wrote, "Take note of the settler children in the video; this is how their parents raise them."
But the activist did not disappear and was not held by the residents. He was detained at the scene until police arrived, was arrested by officers, and was taken in for questioning following the complaint filed after the incident with the child.
