An IDF soldier assigned to the military rabbinate was sentenced to four months in prison for throwing rocks at police during the evacuation of an outpost near Adi Ad in Shomron. The soldier was also given a six-month probation period for related violations including entering a closed military zone and attacking police. The military court did accept the soldier’s attorney’s request to only sentence him to a jail term for the rock-throwing offense.

The indictment stated the soldier arrived at the outpost dressed in uniform and carrying his IDF-issued weapon, engaging in conflicting behavior with soldiers. When instructed to evacuate the area, which was declared a ‘closed military zone,’ the soldier stated he was uninterested, further stating he was remaining to “defend Eretz Yisrael”.

The soldier then entered a home, changed into civilian garb and placed his weapon inside, then returning to throw rocks at police from a hilltop. The court also learned the soldier was also arrested for setting tires ablaze at an entrance to Jerusalem in 2005 as part of protests against the Gaza and N. Shomron expulsions.

The court however did not accept the prosecution’s request to exhibit stringency against the soldier, with the court explaining at the end of the day, the soldier lived in the outpost and his personal belongings were destroyed in the eviction process, lending to an atmosphere of leniency due to the distressful situation that he faced at the time of his offence.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)