A legal and security drama unfolded over the weekend in Judea and Samaria when an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldier serving in a reconnaissance unit and living on one of the farms in the area was arrested by police after he rushed to help a Jewish shepherd who was violently attacked by dozens of Arab rioters.
1+The incident began just half an hour before the Sabbath. A shepherd grazing his flock near Alon Highway was brutally attacked by dozens of Arab rioters who came from the village of al-Mu’ayyir. The rioters threw stones at him from close range and fired flares directly at him, creating an immediate life-threatening situation. The shepherd, facing real danger, quickly called security forces and farmers from nearby farms, while the soldier—who was on leave at one of the farms at the time—immediately headed to the scene to ensure the shepherd’s safety and protect him.
According to the soldier’s account, when he arrived at the scene he assessed the situation, exercised great restraint, and decided to wait for IDF forces who were on their way. He did not fire any shots. When IDF forces arrived at the scene, the soldiers dispersed the rioters using riot dispersal measures, gas grenades, and stun grenades, and the incident ended with the shepherd returning safely with his flock to the farm.
1+However, on Saturday night a false narrative began spreading from Arab sources in the village of al-Mu’ayyir, claiming that an Arab child was injured by gunfire on the outskirts of the village. Arab incitement channels, which regularly distribute propaganda materials from Hamas and other terrorist organizations, identified the soldier—who is well-known in the area due to his activity on the farms in recent years. They circulated his photo, which had been taken previously, alongside edited and unclear footage, and pinned the blame on him.
Despite the lack of evidence and the fact that the soldier claims he acted properly and waited for the authorized forces, police decided to arrest the soldier during the Sabbath. Those close to the soldier are expressing strong resentment over the fact that the enforcement system is being dragged along by propaganda from enemy incitement channels, and hope that the truth will come to light soon and the soldier will be released to his home. “It’s unacceptable that a soldier who goes out to protect civilians against dozens of rioters finds himself under arrest because of Hamas fake news,” his associates said. “We’re confident that the clear truth will be clarified in the coming hours.”