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A few hours after the video was posted to the internet showing Lt.-Colonel Shalom Eisner using his weapon to strike a left-wing anarchist in his face, the media in Israel was abuzz with the story, with the left-wing calling for “appropriate action against the officer”. The victim is a male, 20, from Denmark, a member of the International Solidarity Movement (ISM), one of the anarchists who come to Israel to take part in anti-government activities. He is living in PA (Palestinian Authority)-occupied Shechem during his visit to Israel.

In this case, the leftists take up position alongside soldiers at a checkpoint and continue to taunt them in the hope of one loses his cool, and others are on hand to capture the moment on video. In this case, the deputy battalion commander was sucker punched, and he fell for it big time.

As seen in the video, the officer did indeed lose it and his response was inappropriate, but those who stand behind him explain the video fails to depict the events before he struck out. Opponents want the officer ousted from his position, perhaps from the IDF.

One should remember for one to achieve the rank of the lt.-colonel, one must serve in the IDF for some 15 years to hold such a combat command post. Eisner is the deputy commander of the Jordan Valley region.

The shouts for and against dominate the media airwaves in Israel, some accusing the left for coming out harshly against him because he wears a kippa. Others simply feel his actions are inappropriate and he should be held accountable, calling upon the IDF to deal with this internally and to remove it from the media spotlight. Others feel the ISM, Machsom Watch and other left-wing extremist organizations are committed to interfering with IDF soldiers and portraying them as an “occupation force” and they get what they deserve. Some feel the military’s senior command is simply too patient with these types of occurrences and the leftists are indeed a threat to the military, despite the fact that they are unarmed, for their cameras are readied to shoot soldiers and officers in a disparaging fashion and therefore, they should not be permitted to protest as they are.

IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz stated the incident was very serious and it would be dealt with appropriately. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu also condemned the actions of the office and Central District Commander Major-General Nitzan Alon has suspended Eisner pending the outcome of the probe of the incident and his actions.

One officer, Major Chaim Snir, who serves as a company commander in the reserves told Israel Radio the actions of the officer were simply wrong, but then again, one must keep things in proportion. He explained that for him, he serves 25 days annually and goes home but officers in the standing army must deal with these anarchists daily, and it is time that something is done to oust them. He explains “If I go to Denmark and see a policeman or soldier and I am told ‘stay there. Do not come closer’ any normal person would stop in his tracks but these folks come to Israel for the expressed purpose of engaging the army in these types of activities to show the world Israel is wrong, and it is time to get rid of them”.

The incident has also prompted a growing audible call to remove the IDF from these situations and place them in the hands of border police, the proper agency to address these matters.

President Shimon Peres made a point of condemning the incident, adding a probe is necessary.

Colonel (reserves) Rav Hager Lau, who heads an IDF mechina preparatory yeshiva added that during the disengagement in 2005, when Jews were ousted from Gush Katif, then Major-General Elazar Stern smashed a Jewish youth with his weapon and nothing was said or done while Stern is now one of the critics against Lt.-Colonel Eisner.

Rabbi Chaim Druckman Shlita has come out publically in support of Eisner along with Rabbi Avichai Ronsky, a former IDF chief rabbi, who hold the rank of brigadier-general in the reserves. Ronsky explained that he cannot understand the IDF chief of staff, since he is the supreme commander and therefore, his reaction should be one of support for his commanders until a probe is conducted and an outcome reached. Ronsky stated the IDF commander is out of place voicing his condemnatory statement before the matter has been investigated.

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(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)