Arabic-speaking Israeli IDF soldiers arrested for praising Jenin militants and cursing Israel in video

The Israel Defense Forces announced the arrest on Tuesday of five Arabic-speaking Israeli soldiers after they were seen praising the Jenin militants and cursing Israel in a video.

In the video, the soldiers can be heard making statements such as “Allah is with Jenin,” or “Allah is with Palestine.”

“Following the unacceptable remarks of IDF soldiers in the video, the soldiers were arrested last night, and an investigation by the Military Police has been initiated," an IDF spokesperson said. "Its findings will be transferred for examination by the military prosecution.”

Several hours after their arrest, the soldiers were released from detention, with their military defense attorneys claiming that the videos had been “edited in a tendentious manner.”

The lawyers claim that other parts of the video, where the same soldiers supported the IDF troops operating in Jenin, were edited out.

One of the military lawyers said that “in most of the conversation, the suspects came to the defense of the IDF soldiers [wounded in Jenin]," and that one of the soldiers reacted “aggressively when asked to express support for Palestine.”

The lawyer affirmed that “it will be clarified that the video was edited."

“As chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Security Committee, I will follow and update the process. I expect quick treatment and significant punishment. We will not accept anything less than that,” he said.

IDF spokesperson, Lt.-Col. Daniel Hagari told Channel 2 news, “Currently, five detainees are under investigation and they will receive the most severe disciplinary treatment, but it is important not to throw the baby out with the bathwater. The right thing to do is to continue recruiting in all parts of Israeli society.”

Knesset Member Yuli Edelstein of the Likud party, who serves as chair of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, wrote on a social media post that the soldiers should face disciplinary action for the video.

“The decision to prosecute this bunch of brats is appropriate and correct,” Edelstein wrote. “I expect it to be dealt with quickly and with a significant punishment.”

While the soldiers have been released, they are still under investigation by the Israeli Military Police Corps.