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Embarrassment: IDF slams commander who obeyed Palestinian forces

Video of IDF soldiers following commands of Palestinian security officials goes viral on social media, with Israeli users bemoaning poor optics and Palestinian users celebrating.

By Lauren Marcus, World Israel News

A video depicting IDF soldiers acquiescing to the demands of Palestinian security forces in Hebron quickly vent viral on social media, with Palestinian users hailing the event as a victory and Israeli users lamenting the soldiers’ submission.

In the video, IDF troops can be seen patrolling Hebron’s main outdoor marketplace on Wednesday afternoon.

Suddenly, a Palestinian security officer in a camouflage military uniform and black beret is seen striding towards the Israeli soldiers. Several other Palestinian security officials, who are armed, trail behind him.

“What are you doing here?” he confronts the soldiers, before the unit’s commander pulls the man aside. While the two men chat, a crowd of curious onlookers comes to watch the face-off.

The Palestinian security officer raises his arm as if to banish the IDF troops and shouts at the soldiers to “get out of here! Out!”

The IDF soldiers hesitate for a moment, but their commander signals for them to obey the man’s commands and leave the area.

The sight of the retreating IDF troops energizes local Palestinian civilians in the market, who shout “Go!” and “Allahu Akbar!” (God is great) as the soldiers walk away.

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The reaction on Hebrew-language social media was decidedly different, with many users bemoaning the optics of Israeli soldiers obeying the commands of Palestinian security officials and saying that the video was an embarrassment.

Notably, an army spokesman said in a statement that the commander of the troops had made the wrong decision by caving to the Palestinian security official’s demands.

“Earlier today, an IDF force patrolled the market area in Hebron, during which Palestinian security forces arrived on the scene without the necessary coordination,” the Israeli army said in a statement on Wednesday evening.

“The force’s commander exercised erroneous judgment when he decided to leave the scene. The incident is being investigated.”