IDF soldier arrested after caught on tape beating Palestinian

The Israelis who are defending people who I assume are Arab Palestinians, although this is not specifically stated in the article, are referred to as "activists". Arab Palestinians who work against terrorist activities by other Arab Palestinians are called "collaborators". Isn't that racist?

is that the soldier will tried and punished, that is a free democratic society at work. Compare this to the Arab regimes, not even the most leftist, Israel hating bozo can disagree .

This is what your army does ALL THE TIME. It just happens to be on tape this time. Stop idolising your army and start realising that you are part of the problem in the Middle East, not just 'innocent victims'

That IS news.

In response to comments following my earlier post, YES, I am concerned about human rights abuses in countries other than Israel, including my own wonderful -- but imperfect -- country, The United States. We all have problems we must address. Israel must exist and lead not by divine right but by moral leadership and example. Yes, I did read the article. Yes, this soldier was arrested -- because of the video. But, crimes like the one committed here happen every day in Israel and the West Bank and go unpunished. Worse, many people in Israel (citizens) spend their lives as second-class citizens because they were born in the wrong caste, ethnically or religiously. Israel must become a model democracy with equal rights for all of her citizens, not a theocracy that oppresses dissent. Israel will be safe when she is an example to the barbarians at her gates. And, when she is, more of the world will support and defend her.

I have a strong sense you would not be as complaisant if it were (for instance) Russian government troops beating up Jews. What you don't seem to realize is that for most people the zionist idea that Jews deserve preferential treatment is rather abhorrent.

i saw idf soldiers keeping their cool. they were being disrespected, cursed and spit at and exercised remarkable restraint. iF they did that to American cops they would have spent more than one night in hospital. who were those english speaking arab lovers and why doesn't Israel kick them the hell out?

Apa: "How can this be justified? This kind of dehumanizing oppression backed by bureaucracy is horrendous. For the Israelis on talkback - how can you justify this? 40 years of continuous oppression" I don't think it is justifiable. Nor do the vast vast majority of Israelis. Of course, in this case "the bureaucracy" has arrested the soldier in question. (Did you read the article?) There is a difference between the action of individual soldiers and the actions of a nation. While the actions of US soldiers at Abu Gharib were criminal, this does not mean every American is guilty nor that the US should be dissolved as a nation state. By analogy, while the actions of this soldier are criminal, not every Israeli is guilty. (In fact, it appears some Israelis helped in gathering evidence against him.)

Security operations are inherently unpleasant for all concerned. Calm down children. Keep things in perspective, it's a brutal world. Only the Israelis are soft enough to let someone video such activities. Russians, Chinese, Brits, French, no other country would have allowed this video to be made. Get it ? They would have (at a minimum) beat the shit out of the western kids confronting them. Try to be realistic about this world. Stop acting like Israeli is at the bottom of the barrel...it's far from that...it's just a fashionable and forgiving target.

"do you worry about human rights abuses in other countries or just Israel ?" The article we are posting to concerns Israel's human rights abuses. The morality of the "most moral army in the world" must exist only in its own collective mind.

so you admit that what the israeli soldiers was disgusting, you are just trying to accuse him of antisemetism because you cannot accept the fact that alot of things that israel is doing is against human rights.

Don't even try. That argument doesn't fly anymore. "Oh but in Sudan it is so much worse!" Yes, but it is still unequal in Israel.

do you worry about human rights abuses in other countries or just Israel ?

For soldiers in an army to gang up on defenseless people and attack and kill them with 21st century air power and warfare is just the lowest form of human behavior. Soldiers are first called to protect the lives of civilians under their care and themselves and their buddies later.

To Palestinians and Muslims worldwide, the terrorists who shot and killed three girls strapped in child seats are heroes, like the Palestinian sniper who shot and killed a Jewish baby. Can anyone imagine them being tried in a Hamas or PA court? We've seen the celebrations for the return of convicted child-killer Kuntar. The Israeli soldier beating a Palestinian was arrested and will be tried and punished, and he is no hero to anyone, like no-one would honor the killer of Haniyeh's brother or Goldstein of the second Hebron massacre.

Was the real offense the beating or doing while a video recorder was present?

This is astounding. It looks like the kind of thing totalirian regimes do. Israel was created as an alternative to these ways. These acts are reminiscent of the Gestapo and the KGB. Can this really be the Zion that Israel created? The world IS getting impatient. I am sick at the way humans are treated in Israel, in this case for expressing opposition to Israeli policy. Insanity! THE WORLD MUST DEMAND THAT DEMOCRACY AND HUNAN RIGHTS BE ALLOWED TO EXIST IN ISRAEL.

This film made my stomach turn. Blatant abuse of power by the soldiers. How can this be justified? This kind of dehumanizing oppression backed by bureaucracy is horrendous. For the Israelis on talkback - how can you justify this? 40 years of continuous oppression.

"This is Israel", regarding a place on the west bank. Not even the government has that position openly. With extremists like that, how can you expect the Palestinians to trust the Israelis?