Israeli Soldiers Break Palestinian Physician’s Arm during Detention

Israeli soldiers broke Nidal Arda's arm following his detention. (Photo: via Social Media)

Israeli soldiers assaulted a 46-year-old Palestinian physician from the town of Arraba, southwest of Jenin, following his detention last week and broke his arm, the official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported on Friday.

According to WAFA, Nidal Arda found Israeli occupation forces in army jeeps surrounding his home after he returned from the mosque following dawn prayers.

“They were waiting at my house and apparently wanted to ambush me,” Dr. Arda said, adding, “The jeeps turned their lights on in my direction and then ordered me to come out of the car.”

According to Arda’s account, there were around 40 soldiers accompanied by dogs, who had broken into and raided his house before he arrived.

“The soldiers destroyed my house,” he lamented.

“They broke the doors and windows and ransacked the entire house. They terrorized my family and children, who were separated from their mother and put in another room.”

Arda was interrogated about the Palestinian escapees from Israel’s Gilboa Prison as two of the escaped political prisoners were from the town of Arraba.

“They threatened me with my son and said they would not allow him to travel to finish his higher education abroad if I do not cooperate with them,” he said.

Dr. Arda was blindfolded and forced into a jeep with other members of the family and neighborhood and taken away to a military base, WAFA also reported.

“We were blindfolded and handcuffed,” he said, adding, “One soldier pushed me and I fell to the ground. My right arm hit something and I felt great pain. I knew it was broken since I am a doctor.”

The soldiers then removed his handcuffs and only left him with sedatives to ease the pain, before taking him to a detention center, Arda elaborated.

Due to the severe pain, he was taken to a nearby hospital where doctors confirmed he had a broken bone and placed it in a cast. He was then forced back to the detention center and interrogated about the Palestinian escapees, WAFA reported.

An Israeli military court ordered Arda’s release a week later. The two Palestinians from Arraba who escaped from prison were captured by the Israeli army before his release.

(MEMO, PC, Social Media)

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