A new video released Friday shows that Lt. Col. Shalom Eisner, the
commander who was dismissed from his position after an edited video
showed him using force to restrain a protester, may have hit four
other protesters – including women riding bicycles – during the same
incident.
The video was reported on by the Israeli press but it was
disseminated by the extreme leftist group B´Tselem, which aims its
reports only at Israel and is notorious for publishing one-sided
reports aimed at damaging the IDF´s and Israel´s standing.
It should also be noted that the video consists of two clips filmed
and edited by Palestinian Authority television, a fact which may
suggest it was edited, as was the original video depicting Eisner, to
remove some of the protesters’ provocations.
The new video shows protesters arriving on bikes to confront Eisner
and his soldiers. They are shown standing beside the soldiers, waving
signs and calling for “an end to the occupation.”
One of the protesters is then shown being interviewed on the PA TV
channel and saying the protesters have no intention of leaving the
area. After several minutes a commotion begins and the demonstrators
are shown standing in front of the soldiers, trying move towards
them. It is at this point that Eisner and his men begin to use force
against the provocateurs.
One soldier is shown pushing one cyclist. Eisner is then seen
striking the Danish demonstrator in the face, the same incident as in
the original video of him. A female demonstrator is then seen heading
towards Eisner and he is shown hitting her with his rifle as well.
Eisner is then shown turning to another demonstrator and hitting him
with the rifle as well. The video then cuts to a later point, in
which Eisner is shown using force to remove two other demonstrators.
The protesters then leave, at which point the video ends.
IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz decided earlier this week to remove
Eisner from his command position following the media storm over the
original edited video showing him using force to restrain a protester.
Lt. Col. Eisner will not be allowed to perform any duties as a
commander for two years. Military sources told Arutz Sheva that Lt.
Gen. Gantz made his decision after consulting with the Central
Command and the Ground Forces commander.
Eisner told a confidante after the incident that the leftist he was
seen hitting in the video struck him first, causing fractures in his
hand. In later pictures, his fingers were bandaged.
Channel 2 News quoted the IDF Spokesman as having said in response to
Friday´s video, “Following the serious incident, the Chief of Staff
decided to dismiss Shalom Eisner from his position and stated that he
will not be allowed to perform as a commander for at least two years.
At the same time, Military Police launched an investigation and will
examine all the evidence and will submit the material to the Chief
Military Advocate General for a decision.”
The B´Tselem organization, meanwhile, claimed that the new video is
further proof that the protesters did not use force and that the use
force on the part of Eisner and his soldiers was unjustified.
