A severe controversy erupted over the weekend at the Nachalat Hanavi hilltop outpost, located adjacent to the community of Esh Kodesh in Binyamin, following confrontations between security forces and residents during an evacuation operation. Video recordings circulating across social media platforms prompted allegations of irregular conduct by soldiers, including the burning of personal gear, damage to religious articles, and threats to employ riot-control chemicals against civilians.
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According to testimonies and video clips published by local activists, a large fire broke out at the outpost during the evacuation, consuming significant quantities of civilian equipment, including clothing, food supplies, furniture, and bedding. Residents further asserted that sacred volumes, religious study texts, and pairs of tefillin (phylacteries) were caught in the flames and destroyed.
In one primary video recording circulated online, a soldier in uniform is observed dragging a large mattress directly toward the active fire. In an additional video segment, an armed soldier is heard warning assembled civilians that if they took any action to extinguish the flames, he would spray tear gas directly into their faces. The footage prompted sharp criticism from Judea and Samaria leaders and activists, who submitted formal demands for a thorough operational inquiry into the conduct of the operating detachment.
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Responding to the allegations, the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit stated: “The forces operated to evacuate Israeli citizens from a closed military zone, after which a fire developed at the location; the circumstances of the fire are under review.” The military’s initial statement did not provide specific findings regarding the claims concerning burned personal property, Torah books, or tefillin.
Separate Incident: Protester Injured at Shiloh Junction
Simultaneously, secondary friction materialized at nearby Shiloh Junction, where an impromptu demonstration was staged in protest of the evacuation. Video footage from the junction showed a masked soldier utilizing a crowd-control baton to strike an Israeli protester standing on the pedestrian sidewalk adjacent to the roadway. The demonstrator sustained a limb injury that required bandaging and medical care. The comprehensive circumstances surrounding the baton use remain under operational assessment.
Despite Fire: Residents Prepare to Reestablish Outpost
Despite the structural clearance and the destruction of on-site gear, outpost residents and affiliated activists initiated immediate logistical preparations to reoccupy the hilltop within hours of the security detachment’s departure. Activists arrived at a regional logistics depot run by the “Hilltop Fund” and loaded replacement equipment bought through public crowdfunding campaigns. They dispatched teams to reestablish a continuous civilian presence at the outpost overnight.