The New York Times · 18 February 1983

CP-1983-011

4 Israeli Soldiers Guilty in Hebron Harassment

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TEL AVIV, Feb. 17 — A military tribunal said today that the former military commander of the occupied West Bank had issued illegal orders to harass Arabs in the Hebron area last spring. The judges said orders by Col.

Yaakov Hartabi to drive people out of their homes and beat them, to shoot into the reflectors of rooftop solar heaters and to break residents' watches were unlawful and should not have been obeyed. The colonel's orders were intended to end Arab disturbances last March.

Evidence of the orders came to light in court during the trial of seven soldiers under Colonel Hartabi's command who were charged with harassment and aggravated assault. Officers Testified Their attorney, contending that the harassment had been ordered by superiors, brought military government officers to testify about the commander's orders.

The accused had not been charged with the specific acts recommended by Colonel Hartabi. The court held, however, that anyone must know that orders like those of the colonel were illegal and that orders from superiors was no defense in such cases. Colonel Hartabi was transferred from the military government in September.

There have also been calls for his dismissal or prosecution. Four of the seven defendants were convicted. For lack of evidence, the court acquitted Maj. David Mopaz, former deputy military commander in Hebron, and two sergeants major who had been charged with aggravated assault and harassment. Sgt. Maj.

Salah Salah, a Bedouin, was sentenced to two months in prison for failing to stop beatings by his subordinates. For assaulting Arabs, Cpl. David Benali was sentenced to six months, Pvt. Shlomo Levy was ordered to serve five months and Sgt. Baruch Meir was placedon good behavior.

Chief's Orders Approved The tribunal said standing orders calling for strong treatment of “troublemakers” were for the most part consistent with the law but stopped short of humiliation and beatings. An exception was an order to take students by bus and then drop them a long distance away, forcing them to return home on foot.

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