Tension between Israeli military, hard-liners rises over probe of soldiers

JERUSALEM — An Israeli military court opened an initial hearing Tuesday for nine soldiers detained over what a defense lawyer said were allegations of sexual abuse of a Palestinian at a facility where Israel has held prisoners from Gaza during the war.

The investigation has stoked tensions between the military command and nationalists in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government who advocate an even harsher hand in Israel’s conduct of the 10-month-old war in Gaza.

The soldiers’ detention Monday triggered angry protests by supporters demanding their release, including members of parliament and at least two government ministers. On Monday, several hundred protesters broke into the facility in southern Israel, known as Sde Teiman, and then later into the military base where the soldiers were being held. Video showed them scuffling with troops before being forced out.

Defense lawyer Nati Rom, who is representing three of the soldiers, said they were innocent and described the alleged abuse they are accused of committing as “acts of sodomy.” The military has given no details on the investigation, saying only it was looking into allegations of “substantial abuse.”

Beyond the alleged abuse now being investigated, Israeli authorities have generally denied abuses in detention facilities for Palestinians.

The military court hearing Tuesday afternoon at the Beit Lid base in central Israel was expected to rule on whether to extend the soldiers’ detention, raising the possibility of new protests.

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, who denounced the protester break-ins at the sites, demanded an investigation into whether National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir “prevented or delayed the police response” to the riots.

He said the lack of police presence forced the military to divert forces to the bases to expel the protesters. In a letter to Netanyahu, he called on him to “act harshly against the coalition members who participated in the riots.”

Ben-Gvir, whose ministry is in charge of police, responded with his own letter to Netanyahu saying the allegations he delayed police response to the riots were baseless.

On Monday, Ben-Gvir denounced the soldiers’ detention as “shameful” and called them “our best heroes.” Referring to conditions at detention facilities, he said “the summer camps and patience for the terrorists are over.”