Two Palestinians who allegedly took part in the gang rape of a mentally disabled Israeli woman in Jaffa earlier this month had a nationalist motive, the Israel Police said on Monday, during a remand hearing for one of the suspects. The decision to cite a nationalist motive was made at the last minute, after a police representative had already dropped the claim earlier in the hearing. It appears that senior police officials in the Israel Police Tel Aviv District instructed the police representative to make the about-face in light of media reports critical of the police. The representative appeared embarrassed by the new instructions when he announced the decision. He added that the accused rapists would face this charge until a third accomplice is arrested, and possibly beyond. On Sunday, police spokeswoman Merav Lapidot told Army Radio there appeared to be no nationalist motive in the case.
