An investigation has revealed that Israel is using US-made electroshock weapons on Palestinian detainees. The American company Axon continues to supply Taser weapons despite evidence they have been used to torture prisoners.
Context
This news comes amid reports of US volunteers, including a lawmaker, being detained while helping Palestinians harvest olives. Additionally, Heidi Levine, a photojournalist, shared details of her violent assault by Israeli settlers.
Human rights groups have condemned the allegations of repeated torture and ill-treatment of detainees held in Israeli detention centers. Amnesty International has called for restrictions on the export of such devices. A spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces stated that the abuse of detainees is strictly prohibited.
Recent Developments
Detentions in the West Bank
The Israeli military detained about 80 US, Israeli, and British volunteers near Nahalin in the occupied West Bank while they were assisting Palestinians in olive harvesting. Among those detained was Brad Lander, a Democratic congressional nominee from New York, along with several rabbis and Israel’s former deputy attorney general. Soldiers claimed the area had been declared a closed military zone.
Attack on Heidi Levine
Heidi Levine, who was attacked and seriously injured by Israeli settlers, described how local Palestinians helped save her. Witnesses reported that her beating only stopped when young men used slingshots to throw stones at the settlers, forcing them to retreat.
