Video captures masked men beating rock throwers

JERUSALEM (CNN) -- As Israeli police threw a tight security cordon around the Old City in Jerusalem before Muslim prayers on Friday, three men identified to CNN's Christiane Amanpour as undercover police agents were caught on camera donning black masks while beating Palestinian rock-throwers.

VIDEO Watch undercover Israeli agents seizing protesters in the streets of east Jerusalem Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)

In the videotape, the incident begins as young men throw rocks at an Israeli checkpoint. A sudden explosion in their midst sends them running. Suddenly three of the rock throwers are grabbed, and the three men can be seen beating the youths, pausing only to put on full-face masks.

One agent punches his captive four times in the head while holding him in a headlock, then pauses to pull his black balaclava from a pocket. After donning the mask he again punches his captive.

Meanwhile another rock thrower is dragged into view by another police agent. The agent puts his foot on the seemingly-unconscious suspect's back while he pauses to pull his mask over his head.

In the background a third agent subdues another rock thrower with a choke, as uniformed regular security forces arrive to take the youths away.

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