FALCON POWERS – The BBC reported that Israeli soldiers continue to post abusive footage during the arrest of Palestinians in the West Bank, despite the army’s pledge to take action against such misconduct.
The British broadcaster BBC said it analyzed 45 images and video clips, including photos of detainees wrapped in Israeli flags, which were posted by 11 soldiers from the Kfir Brigade, the largest infantry brigade in the Israeli army and which operates mainly in the West Bank.
According to the BBC, many of the video clips show Kfir Brigade members entering homes at night and arresting Palestinians, often with their hands tied and eyes blindfolded. Frightened women were seen being filmed without their headscarves.
In response, the Israeli army said that soldiers who engaged in “unacceptable behavior” had been disciplined or suspended from duty.
Legal experts stressed that filming and posting videos online could constitute a war crime.
Dr. Mark Ellis, Executive Director of the International Bar Association, called for an investigation into the incidents shown in the footage and for the Israeli army to discipline the soldiers involved.
International human rights lawyer Geoffrey Nice, who worked with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) between 1998 and 2006, agreed with Dr. Ellis, but was skeptical about the chances of holding any soldier accountable.
In February, the BBC reported on misconduct by Israeli army soldiers on social media during the Gaza war, noting a similar pattern of behavior in the West Bank, which saw a sharp rise in violence during the same period.
Former Israeli soldier Uri Avnery, a spokesman for the “Breaking the Silence” organization, which exposes violations in the Israeli army, said he was not surprised to hear that this behavior continues, citing the “current extreme right-wing political discourse in the country” as encouraging such conduct.
He stated that “there are no consequences. They (the Israeli soldiers) are encouraged and supported from the highest levels of government, and this plays a role in the mindset that the army already endorses.” He added: “The prevailing culture in the army, when it comes to Palestinians, is that they are just targets. They are not human beings. This is the way the army teaches you to behave.”
