Reservists suspended for mocking Palestinian detainees in West Bank

The Israeli army suspends a group of soldiers recorded smoking a water pipe and joking in front of Palestinians who were detained and blindfolded.

The video, which was uploaded to social media and has garnered millions of views in the past two days, shows soldiers laughing and eating snacks as at least seven Palestinians are sitting blindfolded in the same room in the West Bank city of Jenin.

“The behavior of the soldiers in the videos is deplorable and stands in stark contrast to the values of the IDF,” a spokesperson says. After a disciplinary hearing, the reserve duty soldiers were suspended until further notice, the spokesperson adds.

Israeli soldiers mock blindfolded and detained Palestinians in Jenin in video posted on social media, smoking hookah and eating chips pic.twitter.com/w8VLmbBUC4

— Anadolu English (@anadoluagency) December 19, 2023