Two soldiers serving in the Military Police Corps are suspected of sexually harassing Palestinian women and stealing money and property from Palestinians passing through a checkpoint.

A military court extended their remand by a week and said their actions were motivated by racism.

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The suspects, who were deployed at the Qalandiyah checkpoint next to Ramallah, are thought to have conducted searches of Palestinian women in violation of orders, during which they deliberately touched the women's intimate parts and demanded that they strip, according to the remand request.

The remand request also accused the soldiers of stealing from Palestinians going through the checkpoint.

Attorney Yulia Weinshenker, who is representing one of the suspects, said: "This is an excellent and highly valued soldier who serves well in a complex and demanding role. Regarding the property offense, this is a one-time blunder that is unlike him. The soldier completely rejects all the other claims and expected the investigation to end in a way that refutes the allegations."