All you armchair critics can sit in the comfort of your homes and judge the actions of a soldier. It's completely different when you are in the field under attack and obviously under pressure. Under these circumstances one can easily make a bad judgement for which he should NOT be condemned. The Duvdevan unit is one that operates under extremely dangerous conditions and they are very highly motivated. Under the circumstances of this incident as reported, it's a great shame the the soldier concerned was dismissed. All the soldiers involved in this matter should have been praised.

errant soldiers can be reclaimed through reeducation, demotion and reintegration unless they are bad seeds. IDF must not be known as pacifist olmert and beilin type soldiers who are afraid to undertake danger. The arab face was kicked in because of overreaction to the fact that an idf soldier was seriously hurt by attacking arabs with knives and iron rods. survival someitmes trumps morality. IDF cannot afford to lose soldiers of the quality of eisner and soldiers will make mistakes. Barak and sharon made many mistakes to give examples.

What's wrong with Israel? The unit was ambushed with iron rod and knives. The attack was seriously enough that they had to draw their weapons and shoot the assailants. So perhaps the soldier, under adrenaline rush, and anger, kicked someone who moments earlier was willing to kill him and his friends. Write him up, discipline him whatever. But dismissal? If this is how the IDF will take care of soldiers who are willing to volunteer for risky missions then don't be surprised when most decide to just become jobnikim.

in times of danger, wrong judgment?

... this ersatz "Palestinian" terrorist ATTACKED an IDF unit .... and we're supposed to get all teary-eyed and apologetic about his getting kicked in the face? The IDF unit should have broken every bone in his body! Make him think twice about terrorist activity. Or, at the very least, beat him and then make him run around naked with his underwear on his head -- you know, just like the American soldiers did at Abu Ghraib. (Let's see if that little reminder doesn't tone down the level of outrage from American talkbackers.) If it doesn't work, I can always bring up My Lai.

story makes no sense, they exercise undercover in palestinian areas and caused the death and injury for both Palestinians and Israelis. Un called for and un necessary... no justification for this actions by IDF.

Shame on those who dismissed him!

I also don't think he should have been dismissed. But I think the point was that the kick occurred after the man was tied up and no longer a threat (at this time.) But I still don't think that's call for dismissal.

Now another soldier underinvestigation for attacking unarmed man blindfolded and handcuffed. Appaears the IDF are mighty brave when it comes to attacking unarmed people. It also appears that violence towards unarmed individuals who are not Jewish is endemic throughout the whole of the IDF.

to join an elite unit...NOT!!! Seems the IDF higher ups has lost it somewhere along the way these days. Two valuable men dismissed in a matter of days. I salute the soldier, as I know what training he has had to go, through to get into such a unit, but please IDF think long and good at what you do. Dont kill our patriotic values.

This soldier kicked a Palestinian that "...was sitting on the ground bound..." This is not act of a brave soldier, but an act of revenge, impulsivity and loss of self control. There is NO excuse for it.

The IDF top brass is on a political correct mission and is destroying the army while at it. Like the mayor of Ariel quoted, "the leaders of IDF lack courage." Now we can also understand why Barak took Gantz as his lackey and yes man. So while they keep on dismissing soldiers, many young people here are getting less motivated to join. Meanwhile our political correct crowd would never join the army, it does not fit their egotistical lifestyle.

The I.D.F. soldier deserves a medal and not a reprimand.

...and the head of the IDF is Barak. What will happen if there's a war? Will an accounting have to be made for every bullet thats fired defending Israel? I agree with Sarah B., a kick in the face face wasn't near enough for the terrorist bastard.

as we speak, there's a news report about American soldiers filming themselves holding body parts of suicide bombers. War brings out the savage in all men. After repeated missions the soldiers need more 'off time' to become 'unpolluted' as the Torah says The enemy they fight is neither rational nor sane.

gime a break war is hell, people die, only the strongest survive.

The exercise was an exercise for the soldiers who were on a genuine mission to capture terrorists and the proof ois that they succeeded in their mission and took out one terroris and caught another after coming under attack. By the way you signed your name incorrectly. It should have read "terrorist forever".

This story is confusing and gives the impression that the IDF use real Palestinians living peacefully in their villages for live fire training exercises.....which is surely NOT the case?

he is part of duvdevan unit, one of the Israeli death squads that eliminate Palestinian militants. They infiltrate Palestinian areas, dressed as Palestinians. Ask yourself if you see armed civilians invading your house, what would YOU do? The Palestinians were in their rights, the Israeli commando NOT. Dismissal is not enough. What do you think an undercover Palestinian would get for harming a civilian Jewish Israeli? The two different sets of laws are what makes the occupation untenable.