The IDF admitted today (Sunday) that in the stone-throwing incident in the south of Mount Hebron last weekend, an IDF soldier who was on vacation did not throw the stones at the force but at a herd of sheep that was nearby.
Following this, the Minister of Defense, Benny Gantz, retracted his condemning message and said: “An investigation into the matter found that there was indeed a conduct of refusing to obey orders and throwing stones that were not aimed at the force – and that’s a good thing. I will continue to support the IDF soldiers and give them back to fulfill their mission, but I regret the statement The one who is decisive about the issue in front of the facts on the ground. I welcome the fact that the facts have been clarified.’
In addition, the Minister of Internal Security, Omar Bar-Lev, retracted and wrote: “In light of the Defense Minister’s update a little while ago that there was no throwing of stones at the IDF, I apologize for the announcement. It’s good that the facts were clarified.”
As mentioned earlier, the IDF clarified earlier that three soldiers filed a complaint against him, one of them said he felt threatened. Also, the IDF clarifies that there will be no stone throwing by the Palestinians and Israeli citizens at the event, with the exception of the suspect who was arrested, this is contrary to the initial claim. In view of the soldier’s refusal and due to the throwing of stones, the soldier was transferred to the police.