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Photo: Said says soldiers beat and spat on
him late Friday.



BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) -- A young Palestinian's errand for his mother took a drastic turn late Friday as after he accidentally crossed into the middle of a violent clash between locals and Israeli forces.

Said Ali Qabalawi, 14, was subjected to a violent assault by Israeli troops in the town of Abu Dis, as he found himself in the wrong place while out buying milk for his baby sister.

At about 9 p.m., Said says, he left a pharmacy that had run out of milk and began walking to another one further down the road. Soon, he was surrounded by Israeli troops clashing with residents.

“The soldiers surrounded me, so I ran away jumping off a high wall. I couldn’t continue to run after the jump, and at that point I was caught. The soldiers attacked me brutally hitting me with rifle butts, kicking me and tearing my clothes off. I had no idea why they were beating me,” he told Ma’an.

One of the soldiers dragged the 14-year-old on the ground and he was taken to a nearby military base. At the base, they continued to beat the young man and accused him of throwing stones, which Said denies.

“Some of the soldiers spat on me and insulted me verbally. They also hit me on the stomach, and I have recently underwent a surgery in the intestine so the punches hurt me,” he added.

Four hours later, Said was taken to a police station in Maale Addumim settlement near Abu Dis where he was interrogated for six hours. He was then released on a bail of 500 shekels ($124) and he was told he would attend a court hearing on Jan. 30, 2013.

An Israeli police spokesman referred inquiries to the military, and an army spokeswoman did not immediately return calls.