Soldier indicted for firing in Hebron squabble

A military court indicted an infantry soldier on Thursday, on counts of threat of force and illegal use of a weapon. Corporal Nahum Ben-Yaakov is accused of firing into the air repeatedly in the vicinity of civilians and of threatening them. According to the ruling, passed by Col. Nir Aviram, the chief justice of IDF Southern Command's military court, the soldier will be detained in military prison until legal proceedings against him come to an end. In footage released by Ynet on Tuesday, Ben-Yaakov, of the Givati brigade, was seen firing a weapon into the air and making threats during a clash between Palestinians and settlers in Hebron last month. An IDF soldier residing in the West Bank settlement of Kiryat Arba, Ben-Yaakov was wearing civilian clothes at the time of the incident, which took place during a clash between Palestinians and settlers in Hebron last month. Ben-Yaakov admitted to shooting in the air, but explained that he did so only after "a stone passed by his head". The suspect fired his weapon again a few minutes later. Ben-Yaakov's attorney, Chai Haber, noted in court that soldiers in the past similarly suspected of firing their guns into the air without cause, were all released for the duration of their legal proceedings. Haber also emphasized that his client had not created the tense situation during which he fired his gun and added that other soldiers present had also done so, in order to disperse the threat, such that it was unreasonable to single out Ben-Yaakov for prison time. "We respect the court's ruling but disagree with it and intend to file an appeal," Haber said, following the ruling. "We intend to show that, even if the soldier violated certain (military) regulations, he did not behave in a criminal manner," he added. Video documentation of the incident was obtained by Ynet on Tuesday, at which point the soldier was arrested. The video shows the soldier threatening the cameraman with his weapon, and demanding he stop filming.

Soldier indicted for firing in Hebron squabble

Pursuant to footage released Tuesday, military court decides to imprison soldier until end of legal proceedings