Soldiers who fired in midair remanded to base
Military court grants motion to have two servicemen who discharged weapons in midair near Bat Ayin settlement, allegedly evoking local riot, released from jail and placed on base detention instead
Two Israel Defense Forces soldiers arrested on suspicion of firing in midair and allegedly evoking a clash between West Bank settlers and local Palestinians were released from military prison Sunday and remanded to base detention.
The incident took place 10 days ago, near the West Bank settlement of Bat Ayin, located about six miles from Ramallah. The two, on leave, reportedly discharged their weapons in the air, causing a subsequent clash between the settlers and residents of the Palestinian village of Umm Safa.
They later claimed they were in fear for their lives.
While placing the two on detention in their base, the military court did stipulate that Corporal Baruch Brandwein and Sergeant David Alfasi, be barred from handling weapons and forbidden from making any phone calls.
The court also ordered them to stay away from the base's clubhouse and canteen and signed the base detention log twice a day.
The two soldiers' transfer from custody to detention was ordered despite the prosecution's objections. It asked the court to remand them pending the conclusion of the investigation, but the defense argued that the investigation would not be compromised by their release – a premise accepted by the court.
