Israeli military forces have come under intense scrutiny following an incident in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin, where soldiers tied a wounded Palestinian man to the bonnet of a military jeep during a raid. The Israeli army has admitted that this action violated operational procedures, sparking outrage and calls for accountability.
The incident, which occurred on Saturday, was captured on video and quickly went viral, showing the man, identified as Mujahid Fayyad from the Jabriyat neighbourhood, strapped horizontally to the vehicle as it moved through a narrow alley. The military stated that Fayyad was wounded during a “counterterrorism operation” in the Wadi Burqin area.
“The conduct of the forces in the video of the incident does not conform to the values of the IDF (Israeli Defense Forces),” the military acknowledged in a statement, promising an investigation into the matter. Fayyad is currently receiving treatment at Jenin’s Ibn Sina hospital.
This event has further heightened tensions in the West Bank, where violence has escalated significantly since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war on October 7, 2023. Palestinian officials report that at least 553 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank by Israeli troops or settlers since the Gaza war began, while Israeli sources confirm at least 14 Israelis have been killed in Palestinian attacks during the same period.
The incident underscores the ongoing human rights concerns in the occupied territories and the urgent need for de-escalation and peaceful resolution to the long-standing conflict. International human rights organizations are likely to closely monitor the promised investigation and any subsequent actions taken by the Israeli military.
