By S. Adam, Jadetimes News
Soldiers Share Footage of Palestinian Detentions Despite Promised Reforms
Israeli soldiers are sharing footage of Palestinian detentions in the occupied West Bank, despite previous pledges from the army to address such misconduct. Legal experts suggest that the filming and online posting of these detentions could constitute war crimes.
The BBC has analyzed 45 photos and videos, some showing detainees draped in Israeli flags. According to international law, detainees must not be subjected to unnecessary humiliation or public curiosity. Human rights experts argue that posting detention footage online violates these principles.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated that soldiers involved in "unacceptable behavior" have been disciplined or suspended but did not comment on specific incidents or soldiers identified in the footage.
Earlier this year, BBC Verify reported on IDF soldiers' misconduct on social media during the Gaza war, which began after a Hamas attack on October 7. Despite previous reporting and promises of reform, similar behaviors have been observed in the West Bank, where violence has also escalated.
Former Israeli soldier Ori Givati, a spokesperson for Breaking The Silence—a group exposing alleged IDF wrongdoing—expressed little surprise at the continued misconduct. Givati claimed current far-right political rhetoric in Israel encourages such behavior and that soldiers are often supported by high-ranking government officials.
"The culture in the military, when it comes to Palestinians, is that they are only targets. They are not human beings. This is how the military teaches you to behave," Givati said.
Since the 1967 Middle East war, Israel has built approximately 160 settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, housing around 700,000 Jews. Most of the international community considers these settlements illegal, a stance Israel disputes.
The BBC's analysis revealed that the 45 social media posts were made by 11 soldiers from the Kfir Brigade, the largest infantry brigade in the IDF, primarily operating in the West Bank. Four of these soldiers are from a reservist battalion, the 9213, active in the northern West Bank.
Despite inquiries, the IDF did not respond to questions about disciplinary actions against specific soldiers. Attempts to contact the soldiers via social media were largely unsuccessful. One of the most active soldiers online, Yohai Vazana, frequently shares videos of nighttime home raids and detentions of Palestinians, often referring to these operations as "hunts." His military insignia suggests he is a sergeant major. TikTok and Facebook (owned by Meta) have removed some of Vazana’s videos for violating content guidelines.
Experts, including Dr. Mark Ellis of the International Bar Association and international human rights lawyer Sir Geoffrey Nice, assert that the footage could breach international law and call for investigations and disciplinary actions by the IDF. In response to the investigation, the IDF stated: "The IDF holds its soldiers to a professional standard… and investigates when behavior is not in line with the IDF's values. In the event of unacceptable behavior, soldiers were disciplined and even suspended from reserve duty."
