In a video gone viral that has been widely misrepresented across social media, Israel Defense Forces soldiers in Huwara were recorded Monday evening dancing with Chabad Chassidim who arrived with a vehicle with the Lubavitch Rebbeโs picture on it, along with a microphone with the announcement "Happy Purim", to make bring the holiday spirit to the soldiers who will not be able to join their families.
After the soldiers festively danced with the Chassidim who came to the base to help spread Purim cheer to those who would otherwise have little, clashes broke out between Palestinians and a few extremist Israeli residents of Samaria. As a result of the violence, which began with Palestinians throwing rocks at the dancing crowd, four injured Palestinians were evacuated to the hospital after being hit by stones by Israelis. The IDF is investigating the event and maintains that the IDF forces attempted to prevent the Israelis from retaliating.
Israeli settlers attack Huwara again week after riot: Video reportedly from Huwara showed both IDF soldiers and settlers dancing to Purim music in the middle of the Palestinian town around the time of the clashes. https://t.co/G7ereprn8S JPost pic.twitter.com/4zjT266cYT
โ Jewish Community (@JComm_NewsFeeds) March 6, 2023
Israeli media outlets such as โKanโ, who misrepresented the chain of events, reported: "IDF fighters were recorded this evening dancing with settlers in Huwara - instead of securing the residents." The IDF was quick to point out: "The incident recorded in the video lasted several minutes. The circumstances of the event are clear. The conduct of the fighters is not consistent with what is expected of fighters in operational activity."
Chabad followers have been coming for decades on the holiday of Purim to IDF bases to make the IDF soldiers happy during the festive holiday, while handing out candies to them, and in many cases also reading the โMegilahโ to them.
IDF soldiers dancing with settlers in Huwara controversial#Israel #Jerusalem #Purim #MiddleEast #Cisjordania #WestBank #Huwara #Palestine #IDF @IDF @netanyahu @itamarbengvir
โ Agencia AJN (@AgenciaAJN) March 6, 2023
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According to the "Yesh Din" organization, a pro-Palestinian organization run by Israelis, the soldiers at the scene did not prevent the violence. The organization also stated: "The pogroms in Huwara also continue as part of the Purim celebrations of the settlers, and everything is under the auspices of the government and the lack of enforcement by the law enforcement agencies."
IDF soldiers dancing with settlers in Huwara controversial#Israel #Jerusalem #Purim #MiddleEast #Cisjordania #WestBank #Huwara #Palestine #IDF @IDF @netanyahu @itamarbengvir
โ Agencia AJN (@AgenciaAJN) March 6, 2023
See more: https://t.co/yCKmpidq0U
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A resident of the village of Har Bracha, an Israeli settlement near Nablus, who happened to be at the scene said: "I drove with my son to the Tapuh intersection, in the middle of Huwara we saw a crazy gathering of dozens of Arabs with stones. Soldiers are standing next to them, rattling, not doing anything to them. Five Arabs were nearby with baseball bats. The vehicles in front of me were hit with stones. Later I returned home, and again vehicles in front of me were struck by stones. The military here is neutered," he said.
