Israel’s attorney general approves probe into 2024 storming of notorious detention centre

Israel’s Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara approved the opening of a criminal investigation on Wednesday against Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu and Knesset members Nissim Vaturi and Zvi Sukkot over their involvement in the storming of the Sde Teiman military-run detention centre last year, the Jerusalem Post has reported.

According to Anadolu, in late July 2024, right-wing protesters including Eliyahu, Vaturi and Sukkot along with armed soldiers, stormed the notorious Sde Teiman detention facility run by the army in the Negev desert to protest against the arrest by military police of soldiers accused of sexually assaulting a Palestinian detainee.

Ten Israel Defence Forces reservists who served as guards at Sde Teiman were suspended on 29 July following allegations of assaulting a Palestinian detainee, including sexual assault that caused serious injuries. In February, an Israeli soldier was convicted of torturing Palestinian prisoners at Sde Teiman and sentenced to seven months in prison.

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The notorious detention centre has seen abuse against Palestinian detainees from Gaza captured by the Israeli army, including incidents of sexual assault, according to Israeli media.

Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir claimed that the decision to summon Eliyahu and the two Knesset members for police questioning was “a complete politicisation of the law enforcement system,” according to Yedioth Ahronoth.

The attorney general’s decision presents a new challenge to the Israeli government, which on Sunday voted unanimously in favour of a no-confidence motion against her. However, although the government has voted to dismiss Baharav-Miara, it must still obtain the approval of the Senior Appointments Advisory Committee, which had originally recommended her appointment, to proceed with her removal, said Haaretz.

On Wednesday, around 10,000 Israelis demonstrated in front of the government headquarters in West Jerusalem to protest against changes to the Judicial Selection Committee, the dismissal of Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar, and the government’s intention to remove Baharav-Miara.

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