A human rights group has posted a video showing an Israeli border policeman kicking a Palestinian child.

The incident took place on 29 June in the Israeli-controlled sector of Hebron, the Israeli rights group B'Tselem said.

The video shows two armed officers in uniform standing near a car park close to the Tomb of the Patriarchs and the Ibrahim mosque. They then disappear off-camera.

A boy, who has since been identified as Abd a-Rahman Burqan, is seen walking along when one of the officers charges out from behind a corner, grabs the boy by the arm and pushes him to the ground. The child's father, Amer Burqan, said his son had gone outside to collect soup that was being distributed to the poor.

The officer who grabbed the boy is believed to have said: "Why are you causing trouble?"

The child begins crying when another officer approaches and kicks him. The officers then let the child free and leave the scene.

B'Tselem said the video was filmed by one of its volunteers from his home. The volunteer said he started filming after seeing one of the officers waiting for the child behind a corner.

The organisation said it would refer the case to the Justice Ministry's Department for the Investigation of Police.

The video is about two minutes long and it is unclear what happened beforehand.

The online edition of the newspaper Haaretz quoted a border police spokesman as saying an official investigation had been launched.

"The border police denounces the policemen's behaviour, which contrasts with the values of the force," said a spokesman. "It is important to note that this is a rare incident which does not represent the actions of the border police in Israel. The commander instructed setting up a team to investigate the incident immediately and its conclusions are due in the coming days."

Israel Human rights