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Israeli Officer Confesses: We 'Blow' Violence into Palestinians like Poison

An Israeli soldier standing at the West Bank city of Hebron. (File Photo: Reuters)
An Israeli soldier standing at the West Bank city of Hebron. (File Photo: Reuters)
    Tel Aviv – Asharq Al-Awsat
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Israeli Officer Confesses: We 'Blow' Violence into Palestinians like Poison

An Israeli soldier standing at the West Bank city of Hebron. (File Photo: Reuters)
An Israeli soldier standing at the West Bank city of Hebron. (File Photo: Reuters)

While right-wing officials in Israel are trying to prevent human rights' seminars for Israeli army, "Breaking the Silence" will publish a new pamphlet containing testimonies of officers and soldiers who admit that during their military service they abused and tortured Palestinians and violated Palestinian human rights.

Former officer Ram Cohen admitted in his testimony that violence is an integral part of the daily and humiliating occupation.

"Taking control of the other means feeling what I felt during my reserve service when I stopped a Palestinian bus that was returning after a day's work in Israel. They were sleepy, tired and exhausted, and wanted to just go home. I stood there with my M16 rifle in my hand and my ammunition ready ordering them all to step down from the bus. I aligned them in a long queue," he narrated.

Cohen went on to say how he ordered the Palestinians to present their IDs, and then he searched their belongings "hoping to find something there."

"Finally, I ordered them back to the bus. "Stop!" I shout, "Why did you move?!" They obeyed, went down, walked, stood, came back, and returned to the bus. I felt strong. I have a rifle with a full ammunition of live bullets, my finger ready on the trigger. I thought at the time that Palestinians were not human beings. Enemies. Potential terrorists," he added.

The officer felt that Palestinians lacked any human trait that could make him feel sympathetic or like them.

"The soldiers feel free and blow violence inside them like poison. This is not only practiced against Palestinians, but also against Ethiopian refugees, even gay and left-wing Jews," he added.

Israeli Culture and Sports Minister Miri Regev's official Facebook page: "It is unnecessary to point out to you that Breaking the Silence works to tarnish the image of Israel, presenting it as an immoral state and its army and soldiers as an immoral army." Cohen believes that by writing this, the minister is seeking to defend the country as a Jewish democratic state, but rather the occupied territories.

"What should we do with the territories we occupied in 1967?" wondered Cohen, adding: "if we want it, we must include it in accordance with the law and grant equal rights to its two and a half million Palestinian residents. By doing so, we will undermine the entire Zionist project and endanger the identity of Israel as a Jewish state. If we are not willing to pay this price, we must plan for a smart and organized separation of regions and authority that fascinate us."

Cohen then concluded: "There is one thing we should not forget: with pikes we can achieve everything, but sit on it. "

It is worth mentioning that Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories, B'Tselem, organizes several seminars and sessions for the Israeli army, in which legal experts talk about "human rights in the occupied territories".

The director-general of B'Tselem, Shai Glick, sent a letter to Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman, warning him not to concede to the demands of the right-wing parties and cancel the sessions.

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Arab World

Lebanese Army Awaits Political Decision to Implement UNSCR 1701

Soldiers from the Lebanese Army and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) patrol near the southern village of Marjayoun (AFP).
Soldiers from the Lebanese Army and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) patrol near the southern village of Marjayoun (AFP).
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Lebanese Army Awaits Political Decision to Implement UNSCR 1701

Soldiers from the Lebanese Army and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) patrol near the southern village of Marjayoun (AFP).
Soldiers from the Lebanese Army and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) patrol near the southern village of Marjayoun (AFP).

Discussions are underway on the role of the Lebanese army in maintaining security in South Lebanon amid rising optimism about a potential ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah and the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701

As part of these preparations, the Lebanese government has begun strengthening the army by recruiting 1,500 new soldiers out of the 6,000 needed, aligning with the outcomes of the Paris Conference held on October 23, which allocated 200 million euros to support the military institution, from a broader package intended to help the Lebanese people during the Israel-Hezbollah war.

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, a security official highlighted that the army currently has 4,500 personnel stationed south of the Litani River but requires additional manpower.

The unidentified official noted, however, that any effective deployment would require a political decision and government support. “The Lebanese military will implement Resolution 1701 as is, with no intention of clashing with any party. However, if Israel violates Lebanese sovereignty, the army is fully prepared to respond,” he said.

Although Hezbollah opposes withdrawing from south of the Litani and handing over border security duties to the Lebanese military and UNIFIL, claiming the army lacks the capabilities to defend against Israeli aggression, the security source clarified that the military has been authorized to repel any attacks but will avoid initiating conflict. The army’s expanded deployment depends on a political decision, which, once made, will see the military act without hesitation to uphold Lebanese sovereignty.

While military preparedness is essential, Brigadier General Wehbeh Qatisha argues that Lebanon’s security requires more than just troops or advanced weaponry at the border. The presence of the Lebanese military as a representative of the Lebanese state is also a significant deterrent. He pointed out that prior to 1970, Israel refrained from attacking Lebanon, despite a much smaller army. However, he cautioned that even with a substantial deployment today, the persistence of Hezbollah’s military presence would continue to undermine Lebanon’s stability and security.

Since the 1969 Cairo Agreement, which allowed the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) to launch operations against Israel from southern Lebanon, the Lebanese army has been restricted in its ability to enforce security along the border. After the PLO’s departure in 1982, Hezbollah took over military operations in the South. Even after the 2006 war and the adoption of Resolution 1701, which called for the Lebanese military and UNIFIL to secure the border, Hezbollah retained its armed presence and continued to conduct exercises simulating conflict with Israel. The latter violated the international resolution thousands of times, until the last war broke out against the background of turning southern Lebanon into a front supporting Gaza.

Qatisha emphasized that the path to stability lies in comprehensive implementation of international resolutions, particularly 1701 and 1559, and restricting arms to the Lebanese army. He argued that achieving balanced deterrence requires not only military force but also a commitment to diplomacy and international support.