RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) — A local Palestinian police chief has been suspended for helping Israeli soldiers fix a flat tire in the West Bank.
Police spokesman Loae Izrekat said on Thursday that Col. Ahmad Abu al-Rub was suspended and referred to an “investigative committee.”
Earlier this week, pictures emerged of the Hebron district chief helping Israelis change their jeep’s flat tire.
The images were widely shared on social media and sparked anger among Palestinians who considered it collaboration with the Israeli occupation. The Palestinian Authority has come under domestic fire for its longtime security cooperation with Israel. It has threatened to cut ties several times, but never followed through.
The Israeli vehicle was apparently blocking a road and the Israeli soldiers were struggling to fix the tire when Abu al-Rub offered to help.