Officers suspended for destroying Palestinian cars

The new commander of the Israel Defense Forces' Judea and Samaria Division yesterday suspended two divisional officers on suspicion that soldiers under their command destroyed cars belonging to West Bank Palestinians.

Brig. Gen. Nitzan Alon, who took over his new command last Wednesday, suspended the two officers less than a day after receiving a complaint from B'Tselem about two separate incidents that allegedly occurred this week. His quick move was meant to show he takes attacks on Palestinian property very seriously.

The suspended officers include a deputy company commander and a team leader from one of the division's elite units.

According to testimony collected by B'Tselem, both incidents occurred in the South Hebron Hills area when soldiers on patrol stopped vehicles carrying Palestinian workers attempting to enter Israel illegally.

In one case, B'Tselem said, the Palestinians fled the vehicle, and the soldiers torched its tires. That caused its gas tank to ignite, destroying the entire car.

In the other, the soldiers allegedly pushed several vehicles into a ravine.

B'Tselem submitted its complaint to the IDF Central Command Monday night. The next morning, on orders from GOC Central Command Maj. Gen. Gadi Shamni, the commander of the Hebron Brigade, Col. Udi Ben Moha, conducted an inquiry among his soldiers.

He reported his initial conclusions to Alon, who promptly ordered the two officers suspended until the inquiry has been completed.

So far, the division is conducting its own inquiry; no decision has yet been made to turn the case over to the Military Police.

"This appears to be a grave incident," said an officer in the Central Command. "And the new division commander intends to deal with such matters with great severity."

The IDF Spokesman's Office said the incidents "appear to violate the IDF's values and the orders given to its soldiers. Therefore, in response to B'Tselem's complaint, the matter will be handled with the full force of the law. GOC Gadi Shamni ordered the matter investigated immediately, and after the brigade commander's initial inquiry, the division commander, Brig. Gen. Alon, decided on the immediate suspension of the deputy company commander and the team leader involved."