Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir made a dramatic decision to remove from ongoing operational activity an ultra-Orthodox reserve battalion consisting of veterans of the Netzach Yehuda battalion.
The decision was made against the backdrop of a series of operational discipline events and unusual incidents that sparked international outcry and sharp criticism of the conduct of the forces in the field.
At the center of the affair is a confrontation that was recorded in front of CNN cameras near the village of Taysir in northern Samaria. The network's reporter, Jeremy Diamond, arrived at the scene to document the construction of a hill in memory of Yehuda Sherman, the 14th, who was murdered in a car bombing.
In the footage, the battalion fighters are seen pointing weapons at the team, demanding that they sit down, and one of the fighters is even heard shouting in writing: "All of Judea and Samaria is ours. If you had a brother and they murdered him - what would you do?".
The American network even claimed that one of the crew members was physically attacked.
Another incident was the vandalism of a monument to Yasser Arafat. The IDF is examining the events not as a single failure, but as an accumulation of deficiencies that require a complete halt in order to draw lessons and tighten operational discipline.
The decision to dismiss an entire battalion is unusual. According to sources familiar with the details, this was done due to the desire of the IDF leadership and the Chief of Staff himself to create a deterrent among soldiers from inappropriate behavior in Judea and Samaria during such a sensitive period. The soldier who was interviewed without authorization will be dismissed from combat. Reprimands against officers in the battalion are also expected.
The decision sparked outrage among the fighters, who feel they have been disrespected by the senior command echelon.
A soldier in the battalion told Channel 7: "Instead of supporting the fighters who are facing a complex arena, they are simply sacrificing us to please the world. This is a spit in the face of all the reservists who came to serve.".
The IDF Spokesperson's Office stated: "The findings of the investigation into the incident that occurred near Taysir were presented to the Chief of Staff yesterday. In light of the findings of the investigation, the Chief of Staff decided to adopt the commanders' recommendations. Accordingly, the operational employment carried out by the reserve battalion will be discontinued.".
According to an IDF spokesman, "The battalion will remain in reserve service and will carry out a process to strengthen the professional and ethical foundations. The battalion will return to activity at the end of the process and in accordance with the decision of the commander. Additional command steps will be taken later.".
An IDF spokesman said that additional details regarding all of the investigation's findings and the Chief of Staff's conclusion will be presented to the public as soon as possible.
Join the Haredim 10 Facebook page >>
Join the X page of Haredim 10 >>
Want more news, videos and stories? Join the Haredim 10 WhatsApp channel >>
