Police whitewashes: "Incident in Hebron was treated professionally and immediately"

Police disclaims the failure: In response to allegations of poor governance during a lynching in Hebron, the police issued a statement on Shabbat in which it claimed that "the incident was dealt with professionally and promptly."

As recalled, in an interview with Behadrey Haredim, an event survivor returned to the events when he and another fours friends were attacked when they mistakenly entered the neighborhood of Jabel Johar in Hebron on their way to the Cave of the Patriarchs.

The five were rescued by a local resident, as he recalls: "An Arab of about 25-30 years old approached us, and told us to get out of the vehicle and come with him. He told us in Hebrew to run after him to his home. At first they chased us but soon stopped. After a few minutes we got to his home."

"Even during the run," he said, "I called the police center at100, and told the person who answered, 'I'm in Hebron, don't know where exactly, in five minutes we're no longer alive, came save us quickly. There are hundreds of Arabs who want to kill us. I barely speak and understand Hebrew. I told them I was leaving the line open and they should come quickly." But he said there was no serious attention from the other side of the line, "Maybe they thought I was kidding," he says.

At the Arab's home they brought them a drink, and connected the two remaining phones to a charger. "All that time I was on the phone with the police until I got tired of it, I hung up and dialed again, but it was repeated. The Arab who speaks Hebrew, called the police too and told them where his house is. We were in the Arab's home for half an hour and didn't see police or army forces arrive," he stressed.

Israeli police denied the allegations and stated that say: "After investigating the incident it was revealed that the incident was handled professionally and promptly, in coordination and synchronization between police centers and IDF forces.

"This is a complex case, partly due to its location in area A, which is not under the responsibility of the IDF and much coordination it takes to enter the area.

"Contrary to claims, the center calls including the conversation quoted in the media, were cut off for some unknown reason and certainly not initiated by the receptionists and moreover, during the call which was sounded and further talks on the matter, handling the event was already under way by SJ Police and the calls or cutting them off could affect the treatment.

"All in all the tourists were safely rescued by police and military forces called to the scene, thanks to the combined efforts, coordination between the centers and the immediate and proper preparation of all those involved".

The students at Hebron, in the home of Fayez Abu Hamadia


According to the survivor, the one who helped those trapped was commander of ZAKA Jerusalem Bentzion Auring: "I just heard that he helps everyone, I've never seen or spoken to him." He said, "One of the guys who was with us had eaten at his time on Shabbos, and he immediately gave me his number from his device that was already charged. I called him, I told him briefly what happened to us and begged him to do something, to speed up the forces since until now no one even came to help us out of the village. Within 10 minutes a resident of Kiryat Arba, Jewish, arrived at the scene, who reassured us that everything is under control, and the forces already are under way. Three or four minutes later large army and police forces arrived, they rescued us into one of the police cars and took us to Kiryat Arba."

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!