Today, the Palestinian presidential candidate for the popular party, Bassam al-Salhi, claimed that he was attacked by Border Guard soldiers at al-Ram checkpoint north of Jerusalem . According to al-Salhi's campaign manager, Issam Bakar, the candidate was on his way to Jerusalem to visit his family.

Al-Salhi, who does not have an Israeli ID card, wanted to cross al-Ram checkpoint. He told the soldiers that he was a presidential candidate and that it was his right to travel through the territories, including East Jerusalem , with no restrictions.

His campaign manager claimed that his candidate's request to cross the checkpoint was denied, and instead he was insulted by the soldiers at the site. According to him, the policemen insulted al-Salhi and humiliated him, handcuffed him, and eventually arrested him, taking him in a patrol car to the Russian Compound in Jerusalem .

The police denied that the checkpoint soldiers attacked the candidate. Commenting on the incident, the police said that al-Salhi attacked one of the soldiers at the checkpoint and tried to enter the city without a permit.

The Jerusalem Magistrates Court released al-Salhi, who was arrested on charges of attacking a policeman immediately after the incident.

Al-Salhi was released on NIS5,000 bail, but the police intend to file charges against him. The judge has required al-Salhi to appear before the police for questioning.

Reader responses to the article

As usual the soldiers continue to lie. Who believes that a Palestinian candidate attacked armed soldiers at the checkpoint? But who believes a despicable Palestinian?—Yaki.

As usual, there are representatives for idiocy among the people—Avi Ecuador .

To Avi Ecuador , come to the checkpoint

Instead of sitting at the end of the world and criticizing, come to the checkpoint for a little while, and you'll see what happens. I do this voluntarily in my free time. Believe me, what was reported here is a lot less than what happens there in reality. We have lost our humanity since 1967. We have lost the essence of justice binding us to the state of Israel because these cursed territories have led us into the abyss and the lowest levels of humanity—Danny B., Hasharon.