Israeli soldier imprisoned for refusing to continue to serve in the West Bank

Tuesday June 23, 2009 11:36 by Katherine Orwell - 1 of International Middle East Media Center Editorial Group

Israeli media reported on Tuesday that the Israeli occupation army has sentenced a soldier to 30 days in military prison. The soldier refused to keep performing his duties as a combat soldier after his unit abused and humiliated Palestinians during an operation in the West Bank.

The soldier declared that he saw how his friends, from the Haruv Battalion of the Kfir Brigade, mistreated Palestinians in the village of Kifl Hares in the northern West Bank, on the 26th of March.

"Their weapons give them the feeling of control and power, and therefore they allow themselves to humiliate those passing through the roadblock in order to ease the boredom and pass the time," he wrote. "The common opinion among Haruv Battalion soldiers is that Arabs are wild animals who should be destroyed, and not people ... They have full opportunity to verbally abuse and beat bound people who cannot protect themselves," he continued.

About the specific operation he told that Palestinian detainees were abused, property was destroyed and Palestinians were harassed at roadblocks. According to the soldier his officers were well aware of the problem but haven’t acted against it.

The soldier, whose family came from Russia, felt that he witnessed events that reminded him of stories of his relatives about pogroms.

The soldier is now being tried for his refusal by his battalion commander and the Military Police is said to be investigating the events the soldier complained about.

It’s not the first time soldiers from the Kfir Brigade have been involved in violent incidents against Palestinians.

In a recent case the brigade commander sparked controversy by stating to a military court that "Violence and aggressiveness to prevent the situation from escalating, and the need for stronger violence, is not only allowed, but sometimes required. A hit, a shove, even when the people are not involved in an operational situation in a manner that could advance the mission is certainly possible."

Others in the Israeli army objected his words by saying that the army prohibits beating and abusing Palestinian civilians when they are being arrested.

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