How Ben-Gvir Turned the Israel Prison Service Into His Own Political Prop - Haaretz Editorial
According to Tsarafi, masked guards pointed their guns at her during the incident; an Israel Prison Service guard filmed the video and saw to its distribution. Regardless of whether Ben-Gvir's office or the Israel Prison Service gave the order to humiliate Tsarafi and document it, this was planned in advance and carried out at the expense of Tsarafi's basic rights, since she is still presumed innocent, in the name of Ben-Gvir's election campaign. Judge Gilad Hess' statement that this was an "excessive action that harms her dignity without justification" downplays the severity of the incident.
The video shows how the Israel Prison Service has become Ben-Gvir's executive arm. Since taking office, the minister has boasted about the policy of starving Palestinian security prisoners and worsening their conditions, which was applauded by the public and mainstream media. The disclosure of correspondence among Ketziot Prison guards about a Palestinian prisoner who was beaten to death shows that abuse of prisoners is not unusual. The policy of abuse does not end with Palestinians, and also extends to Jewish prisoners. Violent assaults, the unwarranted use of stun grenades and now the documentation of a detainee's humiliation indicate that Israel Prison Service guards and commanders will go to great lengths to please the minister in charge, including violating the basic rights of both Arabs and Jews.