A video which purports to show Israeli police beating Palestinian-American teenager Tariq Khdeir, who is a cousin of murdered teenager Muhammed Abu Khdeir and was in Israel to visit family during the Ramadan holiday, went viral on the internet over the weekend. The video prompted the US State Department to demand a thorough investigation “and full accountability for any excessive use of force” but not that Khdeir be released, as he was being held n suspicion of participation in a riot. However, he was released on Sunday as MK Ahmed Tibi (United Arab List-Ta’al) reportedly posted bail for him. Israel’s Justice Ministry announced it is opening an investigation into the incident while Israel Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld was quoted by the New York Times as saying that the footage was “edited and biased,” and that it “did not represent the scope of events.”
