Israeli military investigates video of soldier and settlers beating Palestinian
The Israeli military has announced an investigation into a video that appears to show an Israeli soldier beating a Palestinian man alongside two settlers. The footage, which circulated on social media on Saturday, depicts the Palestinian man on the ground being struck by the soldier and the settlers. The military stated that its forces were deployed to the West Bank village of Idhna following a 'confrontation' between Israelis and Palestinians, adding that the incident and the conduct of the troops are under review. The official Palestinian news agency, Wafa, reported that settlers physically attacked Palestinians near a mosque in Idhna while Israeli forces provided protection and fired into the air. According to the report, soldiers used live ammunition, stun grenades, and tear gas to force Palestinians away from the mosque and arrested seven individuals. Wafa further reported that settlers erected a tent in the al-Jalatiya neighbourhood, brought a flock of sheep, and damaged a Palestinian vehicle. Palestinian sources describe the incident as part of a wave of violent attacks across the West Bank over the weekend that left several Palestinians injured. In the Wadi Rahim area of the South Hebron Hills, a local activist told Wafa that six Palestinians were wounded. The activist stated that settlers from the nearby outpost of Havat Susiya entered the area and opened fire; one person was wounded by gunfire and five others were beaten. Wafa added that settlers attacked the outskirts of Beit Dajan, east of Nablus, on Friday evening, beating three Palestinians who sustained moderate injuries. On Saturday morning, two more Palestinians were wounded in an attack on the neighbouring town of Beit Furik. In the south, settlers raided a Palestinian home near Bethlehem, breaking windows and damaging property. Attacks attributed to extremist settlers frequently occur on Friday evenings and Saturdays, coinciding with the Jewish Sabbath. However, according to the report, arrests in cases of settler violence are rare, and convictions are even less common. The NGO Breaking the Silence, citing testimonies from soldiers who served in the West Bank, claims that troops often protect settler attackers and sometimes actively assist them, while frequently arresting Palestinians during violent confrontations involving settlers.