Dear YWN Editor and the People of Israel,

As an Israeli-American and the mother of a Netzach Yehuda (Nahal Haharedi) soldier serving in the Shomron, I am writing to protest the treatment of my son and his comrades who are sitting in jail for the past week over an altercation with several Bedouin.

On the way back to their base after attending the funeral of Asher Hazut, the brother of one of his roommates, my son and his fellow soldiers stopped at a gas station near Rahat. One of the soldiers was cursed and threatened by Bedouin men and he called for backup. When his comrades came to his aid, an altercation ensued. No injuries were reported. But 14 Netzach Yehuda soldiers were arrested and held in jail. Ten of them are still there. They are being threatened by other inmates. They have been interrogated for hours, on more than one occasion, and were not allowed to sleep for an entire night. The Bedouin are at large and were never taken into custody.

My son and his fellow soldiers endanger their lives daily to protect Jews living in Bet El, Shiloh, and the surrounding yishuvim. On August 23, 2019, our son had come home for his bi-weekly Shabbat. After the terror attack at Ein Dolev that Friday morning, which killed Rina Shnerb and injured her father and brother, he was called back to duty. Over Rosh Hashanah, he entered the home of one of the terrorists responsible for this attack and aided in his capture. These soldiers serve in some of the most perilous situations in the IDF.

When a soldier walks through Mea Shearim and is harassed by the locals, riot police appear within minutes to protect the soldier and throw the local offender in jail. Why on earth, when our sons stop at a gas station and are harassed by local Bedouin men, do the soldiers end up in jail? Where is the perspective? Where is the justice?

Having made aliya to live in Eretz Hakodesh, it pains me immensely to see this discrimination and travesty of justice. It makes the families of these soldiers think twice about sending their other sons to the army. If these young men can’t protect themselves, and if they don’t have the support of their officers, why should they risk their lives, reputations, and freedom?

I call upon the Prime Minister, the Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi, and all Israeli citizens concerned with justice and equality to ensure immediate release of all the jailed Netzach Yehudah soldiers. To ensure that our sons are able to protect their country and their people with dignity and respect.

Rivka Levron, MD, PhD

NOTE: The views expressed here are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of YWN.

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