David the Nachalite by David Wilder, resident of Hebron
(EXCERPT FROM COLUMN PUBLISHED IN THE JERUSALEM POST )
What really happened with David from the Nachal division? Simply, he was set up. There’s an organization in Hebron called Youth against Settlements. It’s run by an ‘old friend’ Issa Amru, with whom I’ve had multiple run-ins. What he does is ‘set up’ soldiers, and other security personnel, like David. He sends a few Arabs to begin a provocation, with at least one or two others in the rear, with cameras rolling. A soldier, border policeman, or even a civilian is verbally, and/or physically attacked. The victim responds. The entire incident is filmed, edited and posted on youtube. The result is an arrest, trial and many times, conviction, as happened with David, the Nachal soldier.
The ramifications are exceedingly serious. First, this blots Israel’s good name. The US State Department released a report reprimanding Israel for attacks against Arabs (palestinians) while commending PA ‘security forces.’ Such ‘admissions’ by Israel of ‘unnecessary violence’ against Arabs, even when they are clearly the instigators, is similar to kicking a soccer ball into your opponent’s goal for him.
But more disturbing is the influence on soldiers. Such incidents lower their morale and cause them, most problematically, to hesitate. Certainly there are times when a soldier or officer must ‘stop and think.’ But there are other situations, when many people’s lives could be at stake, when the person must act instinctively. If they hesitate, even for a moment, the results can be catastrophic. If a soldier, when attacked, must hesitate, stop and think before reacting, he many lose his life and many others may, too. It is unthinkable that a person should be trained, given a uniform and arms, sent out to protect civilians, and then told to refrain from acting when the situation calls for immediate action.
And of course, these event cause great joy and comfort to the enemy, who realizing his victory, continues on the same road, continuing to goad soldiers and civilians, hoping to bring them too, to their knees. Over the past few days I’ve seen numerous incidents whereby soldiers, at the same location next to Beit Hadassah, are baited by Arab youth of all ages, with the soldier left with little recourse but to look the other way, and walk away.
Today the IDF officially forbade soldiers from using Facebook as a means to protest such incidents, as David the Nachal soldier’s punishment. It seems to me that this attempt to subdue public objections will fail. To the contrary, it will only fan the flames of turbulence amongst the brave young IDF warriors, who ask, rightly, ‘what do you want from us?’ As they write on their facebook photos, ‘we are with David the Nachalite.’
The root of this issue is, ‘what will they say,’ the ‘they’ being Obama and Kerry, the EU’s Ashton, and other anti-Israel, pro-Arab world leaders. So, who comes first? Our men and women in uniform, their lives and the lives of civilians, or world opinion?
The answer should be clear, after sixty six years of independence.
