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Sunday, March 8, 2026
IDF soldier disciplined over vandalizing West Bank memorial for Yasser Arafat
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleEmanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
An IDF soldier has been disciplined after footage showed him vandalizing a memorial for late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in the northern West Bank.
The video published yesterday showed the soldier repeatedly hitting the memorial, in the town of Zababdeh, near Jenin, with a hammer.
In response to a query, the IDF says that the incident “is severe and does not align with the defined procedures.”
The military says the relevant brigade commander “conducted an immediate inquiry and the soldier was given disciplinary action.”
Soldiers and commanders also “underwent a clarification of procedures on the matter,” the IDF adds.
Israeli occupation forces vandalize a memorial for late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in the town of Zababdeh, near Jenin. pic.twitter.com/NWu55Jy6RF
— WAFA News Agency – English (@WAFANewsEnglish) March 7, 2026
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