Kfir Brigade soldiers. (Archive Photo)
Photo: Motti Kimchi
Soldiers set fire to Palestinian flag
Soldiers court-martialed after confiscating Palestinian flag at northern West Bank checkpoint and burning it; squad commander removed from position, gets 20 days in prison, another soldier confined to base for 28 days.
Two soldiers from the Kfir Brigade were court-martialed on Wednesday after setting fire to a Palestinian flag they confiscated near an Arab village in the northern West Bank.
An initial investigation by the IDF found that while soldiers were inspecting a car, they confiscated a Palestinian flag from it and set it aligt. They then threw it into nearby bushes.
The checkpoint itself is manned by four soldiers, but only two were court-martialed and disciplined. The squad commander was removed from his commanding role and sentenced to 20 days in military prison. Another soldier was confined to the base for 28 days.
Kfir Brigade Soldier in the West Bank. (Archive Photo: Yoav Zitun)
A military official confirmed that an initial investigation was undertaken in the field because it the soldiers apparently acted against protocol.
The IDF Spokesperson's Office also stated, "The first investigation made clear that it was an unusual incident and that the soldiers acted in contradiction with what is expected of it and against commanders' instructions."
