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Maple at Livernois The Largest DISCOUNT Natural Foods Market in the Midwest NOW OPEN! Good Food Cafe & Deli... Salads, Soups, Sandwiches & Entrees Fresh Daily! Natural Foods with A Gourmet Touch... Sit-down or Carry-out. OPEN: Mon•Sat 9.9 • Sun 10-6 362.0886 in Troy STARRING ART BEER Now Thru November 4 JET • 6600 W. Maple Road • West Bloomfield Dates: 10/31, 1111, 1113, 11/4 181 S. Woodward Ave. Birmingham, MI 48009 642-1690 Fine Catering Flowers, Decor Table Settings „, Complete Planning Barry's Let's Rent It PARTIES EXCLUSIVELY • Tents • Tables • Chairs • China • Paper Goods 4393 ORCHARD LAKE RD., N. OF LONE PINE IN CROSSWINDS FLOREEN HALPERN 399.6565 56 FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19, 1990 855-0480 Jerusalem (JTA) — A military court has convicted four Israel Defense Force soldiers for the brutal beatings more than two years ago of two Palestin- ians in the Gaza Strip, one of whom subsequently died of his injuries. The Oct. 1 verdict immedi- ately became politically divisive and raised anew the question of whether soldiers on duty should be held responsible for executing policies established at the top of the defense estab- lishment. The four soldiers, all members of the crack Givati Brigade, which has produced some of Israel's outstanding war heroes, were found guil- ty of inflicting excessive bodily harm as a form of punishment. In their defense, they pointed to the higher eche- lons. The highest-ranking defendant, Res. Maj. Yit- zhak Levit, who was found guilty of ordering the beatings, showed no remorse. He said he was "disappointed by the court ruling." There was strong reaction to the verdict in political circles. Likud said that once the legal process is over it would seek an amnesty and expected the opposition Labor Party to cooperate. The militant Gush Emunim demanded that the judges immediately reverse their verdict. But leftist political fac- tions insisted that the in- quiry into the brutal treat- ment of Arabs be broadened into the "senior military ranks and the political ranks." The trial, held in a military court of the Southern Command, dealt with an incident on Feb. 7, 1988, less than two months after the intifada began. The two Palestinians beaten by soldiers were residents of the el-Bureij refugee camp in the Gaza Strip, then as now a hotbed of intifada-related unrest. Most recently it was the site of the brutal murder of IDF Res. Sgt. Ammon Pomerantz, who was stoned and burned to death in his car there on Sept. 20, the first day of Rosh Hashanah. Maj. Levit, a computer en- gineer and investment broker in civilian life, claim- ed the verdict did an "injustice" to truth. According to him, true responsibility lay with then Defense Minister Yitzhak Rabin, who established an "iron hand" policy to deal with Palestinian violence. The lower-rank soldiers are put on trial "and all the rest come out clean," said Maj. Levit, who was a bat- talion commander. But the court said it found no proof that the unit receiv- ed orders from higher ranks to beat up Arabs as a punitive measure. It did, however, fault the brigade commander, Col. Ephi Eitan, whom it alleged The four soldiers, all members of the crack Givati Brigade, which has produced some of Israel's outstanding war heroes, were found guilty of inflicting excessive bodily harm as a form of punishment. encouraged soldiers to use excessive force, and acted contrary to military guidelines. Col. Eitan was not a defendant but gave exten- sive testimony at the trial. The court also had critical words for two senior officers, Maj. Gen. Yitzhak Mordechai, who was com- mander of the southern sec- tor at the time, and Brig. Gen. Ya'acov Or, who was area commander. "It seems to us," the court said, that the two com- manders "were quite satisfied with the excessive use of force as long as it led to the desired results." Gen. Mordechai is present- ly commander of the central sector and Gen. Or is com- mander of the West Bank. The IDF advocate general, Brig. Gen. Amnon Strashnov, said during the trial that he would consider legal measures against others involved in the case once the verdict was in. Further charges therefore may be filed after Brig. Gen. Strashnov studies the 80- page verdict.