The IDF suspended a sergeant on Shabbos, after it was revealed that he had stolen fruit from a Palestinian vendor in Hebron while on duty earlier in the day. The incident, was caught on film and went viral on Palestinian social media.

An investigation into the incident revealed that the sergeant was commanding a patrol of Givati soldiers. The patrol’s mission was to prevent Palestinian protesters from causing harm to the Jewish neighborhoods in the city.

The commander of the squad was seen taking apples for himself and his soldiers from an abandoned stall owned by Palestinians. The owner had fled due to the protests taking place nearby.

The IDF issued a statement saying that this was an isolated incident which is unbecoming and uncharacteristic of its soldiers. “The Givati brigade has been in command of the Hebron area for the past few months and its soldiers are briefed continually to avoid ethically unacceptable behavior such as this. With the interaction level between the two ethnic groups very high in the Hebron area, the challenges the soldiers face in this specific region are more varied than in other areas. Therefore, the soldiers are briefed and warned not to create cross any ethical boundaries whatsoever.”

The IDF spokesperson issued a statement following the incident in which it stated that: “The soldier in question has been suspended of his command and will be reprimanded and punished for his actions.”

Today, during operational activity in Hebron, an IDF commander took fruit from a Palestinian’s stand. The IDF does not condone this behavior. The incident was investigated and the commander was suspended from duty and punished

— IDF (@IDFSpokesperson) December 9, 2017

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)