IDF acknowledges off-duty soldier wasn’t throwing rocks at troops

The Israel Defense Forces corrects itself after accusing left-wing activists and Palestinians of “violently attacking and throwing stones” at troops in the South Hebron Hills area of the West Bank on Friday.

In a new statement, the IDF admits that an activist — who is also an off-duty soldier — who was detained was actually throwing stones near a herd of sheep to direct them out of the area.

The activists strongly denied the IDF’s initial claims that they had attacked troops alongside Palestinians, and said they were only assisting the shepherd.

Still, the IDF says that the stones thrown by the activist to direct the sheep “consequently were also in the direction of the military force at the scene.”

One of the soldiers has filed a complaint with the police because he felt threatened by the stone-throwing.

The detained activist was released Friday after several hours of police questioning, and has been barred from the area for two weeks.