In Response to the June 12, 2015 Riot Incident in Jelazun
This past Friday, a violent riot involving 50 to 70 Palestinians broke out in Jelazun, a Palestinian refugee camp north of Ramallah. Video footage cut from hours of Friday’s riot shows the apprehension of a Palestinian male after his attempt to grab a soldier’s weapon.
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During the demonstration, an officer was wounded and evacuated for medical treatment.
Kfir Infantry Brigade Commander Col. Asher Ben Lulu conducted an inquiry into the circumstances of Friday’s incident. Yesterday, Col. Ben Lulu concluded that while the arrest was justified, the soldiers used inappropriate means. The four soldiers seen in the video were disciplined for inappropriate conduct in contradiction to IDF procedures and values. The company commander was reprimanded; two soldiers involved in disproportionate force were sentenced to 28 days of conditional imprisonment in military prison; and a third soldier has been confined to base for 30 days.
Demonstrations on main public roads and near crossings, that serve the Palestinian population, often escalate into violent riots, jeopardizing all passersby, Israelis and Palestinians. During the violent public disorders, rioters throw rocks and molotov cocktails at Israeli security forces, attempting to wound and maim the forces. IDF soldiers are trained and expected to “show restraint in the most complicated situations,” according to Deputy Military Advocate General Col. Eli Bar-On. Soldiers who violate IDF procedures are disciplined through appropriate disciplinary and legal measures.
