Depending on your outlook regarding events in Israel, an IDF training event in Shomron may be viewed as addressing reality, or alternatively, a biased event aimed at influencing soldiers against settlers.

As some Shomron residents on Monday, 26 Tammuz 5772 waited for rides at Chatmar Shomron Junction, they realized they were observing an ongoing military training exercise, not an ordinary event training to address terrorists, but to prepare soldiers to respond to an attack from settlers.

HaKol HaYehudi spoke with a soldier involved in the training exercise, who is quoted anonymously for obvious reasons. The soldier explains that he enlisted into the IDF to protect his country and combat terrorism, not train to engage settlers in armed conflict.

Part of the training event entailed a soldier giving a report over the radio that settlers attacked Arabs at nearby Ronen Hill, calling for reinforcements. The soldier went on with his report setting the stage for the drill, describing “two masked Jews that arrived at the intersection with large stones which they hurled at Arab vehicles and they unintentionally injured a soldier with rocks”, albeit lightly.

This scenario infuriated some of the area residents waiting for a hitch home, but others admitted that while it may be somewhat painful or offensive, it is not far from the day-to-day realities in certain areas of Shomron and soldiers must be equipped to deal with any situation.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)