WATCH: IDF Lt. Col. rams rifle in face of activist (UPDATED)

UPDATE: According to a source who has approached +972 Magazine, Lt. Col. Shalom Eisner, who beat an activist in the face with his rifle (video below) is slated to be the next Deputy Commander of Bahad 1, the IDF’s school and training base for all of its officers

Here’s how we treat people who dare cycle where they’re not supposed to.

Yes, I said “cycle.” For this you are punished with a rifle to the head, in a bunt move that would make most major league baseball players jealous.

 

According to the WAFA news agency, “Israeli forces Saturday broke up with force a cycling tour around the Jordan Valley and assaulted the participants injuring and arresting a number of them.”

In this album of pictures on Facebook, one can clearly see this officer seemed to be in a pretty aggressive mood with more than one activist while walking around with his rifle in bunt position and a look that could kill.

17:05: I have requested a comment from the IDF spokesperson unit.

17:10: Just got this link, which shows a few 15 seconds before the hit:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uL-GmYBNDqY[/youtube]

17:40: According to this video from December 2011, the officer is the deputy commander of the Jordan Valley brigade, Shalom Eisner. In this clip he is thanking volunteers who help out in rescue operations.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SP1ZBM8gfHQ&feature=share[/youtube]

20:17: Another picture from the event yesterday:

WATCH: IDF Lt. Col. rams rifle in face of activist (UPDATED)
(photo: Hamzi Zbidat)

22:07: The IDF response:

The IDF Spokesperson’s unit said in response the event was very serious and that the Central Command chief had ordered a thorough investigation. “The inquiry will examine the circumstances which led to the incident documented in the video. Lessons will be drawn and the necessary steps will be taken.”

22:15: Praise for Lt. Col. Eisner is flooding the Israeli social media, here and here [Heb] for example.

22:30: A source who approached me and wishes to remain anonymous at this point has informed me that Lt. Col. Eisner is set to be the next deputy commander of Bahad 1 – the IDF’s training base for all of its officers. This piece of info could not be confirmed.

The IDF spokesperson in response: “We do not discuss IDF appointments in the media until they are signed and sealed. When appointments are confirmed, the media is notified.”

Leading Bahad 1 is considered to be one of the most prestigious jobs in the IDF. Some of its former commanders were Shaul Mofaz, Giora Eyland, Matan Vilnai, Elazar Stern and others who later became high-ranking generals or Chiefs of Staff. If Lt. Col. is reprimanded by the IDF for his conduct, this incident could block any future promotions.

The IDF might want to think twice if this is the kind of officer they want as an example to others.

22:35: Lt. Col. Shalom Eisner is the son of late Rabbi Benny Eisner [Heb], an icon of religious Zionism who also lived in th “Jewish House” in Abu Tor, East Jerusalem.

23:15: Haaretz brings response of National Union MK Michael Ben Ari:

“Well done to the IDF officer who did what Bibi and Aharonovich have no brain or courage to do,” Ben Ari said. “Radical leftists must be handled with a heavy hand. There was a tangible threat to the lives of the soldiers and the officer had no other choice. If it was a settler who was beaten we would not have heard the cries of the hypocrites on the left. Turns out they are not interested in human rights but the rights of terrorists and pro-Arabs.”

23:24: Amos Harel of Haaretz reports that Lt. Col. Eisner is to be suspended, yet says that in other similar cases a suspension does not necessarily mean the end of the officer’s career [Heb].

23:33: Lt. Col. Eisner responds: “I shouldn’t have raised my weapon like that, but those were 6 seconds out of two hours. Of course they didn’t show the part where they attacked us with sticks.”

 00:07: PM Benjamin Netanyahu: “This behavior is not characteristic of IDF soldiers and commanders and should not be allowed in the IDF or in Israel.”