Conditions at Sde Teiman are fast becoming one of the most pressing human rights issues in Israel. AP
Conditions at Sde Teiman are fast becoming one of the most pressing human rights issues in Israel. AP
Conditions at Sde Teiman are fast becoming one of the most pressing human rights issues in Israel. AP
Conditions at Sde Teiman are fast becoming one of the most pressing human rights issues in Israel. AP

Israeli whistleblower felt 'complicit in war crimes' after Sde Teiman visit


Thomas Helm
  • English
  • Arabic

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An Israeli physician who reported abuses against Palestinian detainees described the conditions at the Sde Teiman centre for Gazans in southern Israel, as evidence that severe human rights abuses have taken place at the centre piles up.

The source told The National they felt “complicit in war crimes” after a visit to a field hospital attached to the centre.

Sde Teiman holds "terrorist suspects," most of whom are thought to be classified as unlawful combatants, which allows Israeli authorities to bypass the rights afforded to prisoners of war, according to NGO Physicians for Human Rights Israel, which researches medical abuses at Sde Teiman. As one of the Israeli military's detention centres, it is intended to hold suspects for a maximum of 45 days before they are transferred to the prison service or released.

“Once we got inside, we were immediately asked to speak anonymously. Each physician should not ask the name of other physicians,” said the source. “There were maybe 15 beds on the side of the tent. One thing you noticed was that everything was relatively clean and very quiet.”

The physician said that every detainee had “each arm and leg handcuffed to the sides of the bed”. Every one was blindfolded, and “all the patients I interacted with were naked besides a diaper [nappy] and a fleece blanket for little warmth. Besides that, they were completely exposed,” said the source, who is one of many whistleblowers.

“The thing I recall the most is dealing with blindfolded patients. You don’t look them in the eye, it’s just someone lying on a bed, unable to move, unable to see. You don’t talk to him, you don’t ask him how he’s doing, you just ask if he has pain.”

An image provided by Israeli NGO Breaking The Silence shows Palestinian prisoners in the Sde Teiman detention centre. AP
An image provided by Israeli NGO Breaking The Silence shows Palestinian prisoners in the Sde Teiman detention centre. AP

A report released in April by Physicians for Human Rights Israel said the field hospital at the centre was set up because civilian hospitals in Israel refused to admit Gazan detainees after the war broke out in October.

It said that “medical staff working in [Sde Teiman] face a significant risk of committing severe violations of medical ethics” and that the centre should be closed. It is unclear how many detainees have passed through.

Israel's Channel 12 recently published a video that purportedly showed soldiers sexually assaulting a detainee, an incident that the US State Department described as “horrific”. It was the latest example of alleged abuse at the facility, which is causing disquiet in Israel’s medical community, the source said.

Although the physician was critical of many colleagues who appeared to tolerate abuse, they drew attention to an open letter signed by more than 1,300 medical professionals calling for Sde Teiman to be closed. Despite that, the source still believed the wider medical profession was complicit in war crimes.

“If you accept something like Sde Teiman as a physician, it means you are setting the bar as low as it can get.”

The source, who treated Israeli patients during the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, said that “it’s not easy to treat someone who you know could have done the worst things imaginable. All of us were extremely emotionally charged.”

“I think that you still need to recognise that there’s some humanity in someone you might consider your enemy. I think October 7 doesn’t justify by any means breaking medical ethics.”

Also in August, Israeli legal experts called on the public to stand by the country’s judicial system amid anger that military authorities are investigating five soldiers accused of sexually abusing a Gazan detainee at Sde Teiman.

Despite the severity of the allegations, scores of campaigners and politicians have criticised legal officials and called for the investigations to stop. Demonstrators have gathered outside the home of Israel's military advocate general Maj Gen Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, prompting police to increase her security. Crowds even broke into Sde Teiman soon after the arrests were made at the end of last month.

“I think I’ve lost almost all hope of change coming from within Israel,” said the source.

“I hope that external pressure might get Israel to change some of its ways. I don’t think Israeli physicians are above judgment or above public opinion and the discourse you find today. We’re very much part of it.”

Right-wing protesters broke into Sde Teiman in July after military police detained soldiers suspected of sexually assaulting a detainee. AFP
Right-wing protesters broke into Sde Teiman in July after military police detained soldiers suspected of sexually assaulting a detainee. AFP
Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.

Mobile phone packages comparison
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The specs: 2018 Nissan Patrol Nismo

Price: base / as tested: Dh382,000

Engine: 5.6-litre V8

Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic

Power: 428hp @ 5,800rpm

Torque: 560Nm @ 3,600rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km

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Friday's schedule in Madrid

Men's quarter-finals

Novak Djokivic (1) v Marin Cilic (9) from 2pm UAE time

Roger Federer (4) v Dominic Thiem (5) from 7pm

Stefanos Tsitsipas (8) v Alexander Zverev (3) from 9.30pm

Stan Wawrinka v Rafael Nadal (2) from 11.30pm

Women's semi-finals

Belinda Bencic v Simona Halep (3) from 4.30pm

Sloane Stephens (8) v Kiki Bertens (7) from 10pm

RESULTS

6.30pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-1 Group 1 (PA) Dh119,373 (Dirt) 1,600m
Winner: Brraq, Adrie de Vries (jockey), Jean-Claude Pecout (trainer)

7.05pm: Handicap (TB) Dh102,500 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Taamol, Connor Beasley, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.

7.40pm: Handicap (TB) Dh105,000 (Turf) 1,800m
Winner: Eqtiraan, Connor Beasley, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.

8.15pm: UAE 1000 Guineas Trial (TB) Dh183,650 (D) 1,400m
Winner: Soft Whisper, Pat Cosgrave, Saeed bin Suroor.

9.50pm: Handicap (TB) Dh105,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Hypothetical, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer.

9.25pm: Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (T) 1,000m
Winner: Etisalat, Sando Paiva, Ali Rashid Al Raihe

WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?

1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull

2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight

3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge

4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own

5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed

Slow loris biog

From: Lonely Loris is a Sunda slow loris, one of nine species of the animal native to Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore

Status: Critically endangered, and listed as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature red list due to growing demand in the global exotic pet trade. It is one of the most popular primate species found at Indonesian pet markets

Likes: Sleeping, which they do for up to 18 hours a day. When they are awake, they like to eat fruit, insects, small birds and reptiles and some types of vegetation

Dislikes: Sunlight. Being a nocturnal animal, the slow loris wakes around sunset and is active throughout the night

Superpowers: His dangerous elbows. The slow loris’s doe eyes may make it look cute, but it is also deadly. The only known venomous primate, it hisses and clasps its paws and can produce a venom from its elbow that can cause anaphylactic shock and even death in humans

While you're here
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Brief scores:

Day 1

Toss: South Africa, field first

Pakistan (1st innings) 177: Sarfraz 56, Masood 44; Olivier 4-48

South Africa (1st innings) 123-2: Markram 78; Masood 1-4

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The Settlers

Director: Louis Theroux

Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz

Rating: 5/5

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10 tips for entry-level job seekers
  • Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
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  • Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
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  • Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
  • Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.

Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz

Movie: Saheb, Biwi aur Gangster 3

Producer: JAR Films

Director: Tigmanshu Dhulia

Cast: Sanjay Dutt, Jimmy Sheirgill, Mahie Gill, Chitrangda Singh, Kabir Bedi

Rating: 3 star

What is the FNC?

The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning. 
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval. 
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
 

Updated: August 21, 2024, 11:46 AM