Palestinian police chief suspended for being 'mechanic boy' while helping Israeli soldiers change flat tire
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A police chief in Palestine was suspended for helping a group of Israeli soldiers change a flat tire. (istock)
A Palestinian police chief in the West Bank was suspended Thursday for helping change a tire for some stranded motorists -- who happened to be Israeli soldiers.
Photos on social media showed Hebron district police chief Col. Ahmad Abu al-Rub stopping next to a jeep driven by a group of Israeli soldiers when he saw them struggling to change a flat.
One Arabic tweet sharing the photo was captioned: “In a humiliating precedent, Colonel Ahmed Abu al-Rub, head of the Hebron city Police, works as a ‘mechanic boy’ and repairs a military jeep to the occupation forces.”
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}According to reports, the jeep had been blocking a road when Abu al-Rub stepped in to help.
But the images sparked widespread anger among Palestinians, who viewed the police chief as collaborating with Israel.
The Palestinian Authority has become unpopular domestically due to its security cooperation with Israel. It has threatened to cut ties several times with the Jewish state, but never followed through.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Police spokesman Loae Izrekat said Abu al-Rub was suspended and mentioned there would be an “investigation committee.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.