Two reservists suspended for staging mock Talmud lesson with detained Palestinians

The military on Monday suspended two reservist soldiers from their roles after one of them filmed and uploaded a video of the other reading sections of the Talmud to three bound Palestinians in the West Bank.

The video, which circulated on social media Sunday, showed one of the reservists conducting a mock Talmud lesson for the detainees, who were blindfolded and on the ground, as the other soldier laughed in the background while filming.

The Israel Defense Forces said in a statement that the two soldiers will face a disciplinary hearing over the incident, adding that the behavior was “grave and is not in line with the values ​​of the IDF and what is expected of IDF soldiers.”

Several incidents of abuse have been filmed and uploaded online by soldiers amid escalating tensions in the West Bank between Palestinian and Israeli security forces and settlers since October 7.

In November, dozens of pictures and video clips emerged of such scenes.

In one of the most brutal clips, which has been blurred, IDF soldiers filmed themselves as they abused seven West Bank laborers who were caught as they attempted to enter Israel without a permit, in an area south of the South Hebron hills.

תלמוד תורה כנגד כולם! pic.twitter.com/9VwsSE6m4C

— Igal Malka (@igal_malka_5G) October 6, 2024

The footage shows the Palestinian men stripped naked or half-naked, blindfolded and handcuffed, and screaming in pain. One of them is being dragged on the ground.

A screenshot from the video shows a soldier stepping with his boot on the head of one of the Palestinians, while another is pointing a weapon at him.

In Gaza, IDF troops have posted videos of themselves looting and damaging property during operations.

IDF Spokesperson Adm. Daniel Hagari put out a statement several months ago calling on soldiers not to film themselves if the documentation does not serve an operational purpose, saying such actions violate the military’s commands.

Troops have arrested some 5,250 wanted Palestinians across the West Bank, including more than 2,050 affiliated with Hamas since October 7.

According to the Palestinian Authority health ministry, more than 716 West Bank Palestinians have been killed in that time. The IDF says the vast majority of them were gunmen killed in exchanges of fire, rioters who clashed with troops or terrorists carrying out attacks.

During the same period, 41 people, including Israeli security personnel, have been killed in terror attacks in Israel and the West Bank. Another six members of the security forces were killed in clashes with terror operatives in the West Bank.