The IDF suspended three Israeli soldiers for acting in a 'severely violent' manner toward a Palestinian at a checkpoint near the West Bank city of Hebron, the Israeli military's spokesperson unit said on Monday evening.
The military said that two combat soldiers and one officer were suspended after a soldier acted in an overly-aggressive manner toward the Palestinian, while the other two did little to nothing to prevent the situation.
In the incident, which was filmed and shared on social media, an Israeli soldier is seen aggressively frisking the Palestinian.
אירוע גרוע בחברון: שני לוחמים מגדוד צבר מגבעתי היכו פלסטיני סמוך לחסם שוטר. קצין ולוחם שהיו בסמוך לא התערבו. המג"ד השעה את שני הלוחמים מפעילות מבצעית ונפתחה חקירת מצ"ח. הרמטכ"ל כוכבי: "אירוע חמור החורג באופן בוטה מערכי צה"ל, מרוח צה"ל ומהנורמות המצופות מלוחמי צה"ל וממפקדיו". pic.twitter.com/a3f69AZlPO
— איתי בלומנטל Itay Blumental (@ItayBlumental) October 24, 2022
"This is a serious incident which is a gross deviation of the IDF's core values and the behavioral norms expected from IDF soldiers and officers, " IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Aviv Kohavi said.
The incident comes amid an increased wave of attacks and violent clashes between Israeli forces and settlers and Palestinian rioters across the West Bank.
Jewish West Bank settlers were also involved in altercations with both Palestinians and Israeli forces. Last week, videos shared by human rights organization Yesh Din showed settlers throwing rocks and grenades at a Palestinian family near Burin, in the West Bank.
Calls from the Left to 'restrain and moderate' IDF forces
Meretz head Zehava Galon claimed earlier in October that Jewish settler violence is to blame for increased terror activities and rising tensions across Jerusalem and the West Bank.
The Israeli military is "securing convoys of settlers who come [to the West Bank] to provoke Palestinians...they beat them, the settlers are extremely violent toward Palestinians," she said.
Galon also called on Defense Minister Benny Gantz to "restrain and moderate" IDF soldiers operating in Palestinian villages. The Military Police Criminal Investigation Division is investigating the incident, the military said.