Israeli army probes soldier seen vandalizing car in Palestinian village
In short clip, serviceman smashes window of vehicle in Qaryut, near West Bank settlement of Eli; IDF condemns ‘serious incident’
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleEmanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
The military said Friday it had opened an investigation into a soldier suspected of vandalizing a car in a West Bank village in the afternoon.
In a short video clip shared by the Yesh Din rights group, the soldier — dressed in partial military gear — was seen approaching a car in the Palestinian village of Qaryut and shattering a window with an unidentified object.
The Israel Defense Forces said the soldier was carrying out a routine patrol in the village. Yesh Din claimed a number of Israeli settlers had entered Qaryut with the soldiers and damaged property.
“This is a serious incident that is not consistent with the values of the IDF and what is expected of its soldiers,” the military said.
The IDF said the Military Police Investigatory Unit had launched a probe into the incident.
The incident came as tensions lingered in the West Bank following a deadly terror attack and a series of attacks on Palestinian villages by Israeli settlers.
In footage shared by Yesh Din, an armed man dressed in partial military gear is seen vandalizing a car in the Palestinian village of Qaryut, south of Nablus. No immediate comment from IDF. pic.twitter.com/IimYeAXN1f
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) June 30, 2023
In the wake of the deadly Palestinian terror attack on June 20, in which four Israelis were gunned down by Hamas-affiliated terrorists, hundreds of settlers rampaged in Palestinian towns and villages for five days, setting fire to homes and cars, and even opening fire in some cases. One Palestinian was killed in unclear circumstances.
Qaryut is located near the settlement of Eli, the scene of the terror attack last week. The majority of the settler attacks last week took place in nearby villages.
Two off-duty IDF soldiers were among at least eight detained over the rampages in Palestinian villages.
The violence has received international condemnation, and reignited a nationwide conversation on Jewish extremism and the proper role of the police and security establishment in countering it.
The IDF has deployed additional troops to the West Bank following the attack in Eli and the subsequent settler rampages.
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