Israel Matzav

IDF removes Eisner from command, bars his promotion for two years

IDF Lieutenant Colonel Shalom Eisner didn't even get the pretense of a show trial. Chief of Staff Benny Gantz removed Eisner from his post as deputy commander of the Jordan Valley brigade on Wednesday, and barred his promotion for two years. Eisner, a decorated officer and Second Lebanon War hero, is weighing his options and may leave the army.

IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen Benny Gantz ordered Wednesday that Eisner be relieved of his duties as deputy commander of the IDF's Jordan Valley Brigade over "operational and ethical failures."

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Ganzt also ordered that the Eisner will not be eligible for any promotion in the next two years, effectively revoking his candidacy for head of Bahad 1 – the military's Officers Training Academy.

Eisner told reporters that he "received the ruling in the matter with a heavy heart. I'm physically and emotionally injured and I have to recuperate. I have to reconsider my future in the IDF, should I be offered another position."

The IDF also obtained what purports to be full video of the incident, rather than just the one-minute video which has been widely shown on the internet.

Here's part of it. Let's go to the videotape.

The 25-minute video depicts the ride taken by pro-Palestinians and the events leading up to the skirmish between Eisner and the Danish protester.

The raw footage, taken by Nablus TV cameraman Bashar Abdul Hek, was filmed for a news report about the planned protest ride and does not depict the entire event.

In the moments leading up to the incident, an IDF officer is seen trying to talk to the protesters – who were blocking the road – in an attempt to bring the rally to its end.

Hek identified the officer as a DCO official who was "very courteous." The Danish protester is seen in the background several times, shouting various slogans.

The cameraman said he stopped filming for a while, and started again when the soldiers were about to remove the protesters from the road.

At this point of the footage, Eisner is seen on the bottom right of the screen, knocking down a female protester. He is then seen striking the Danish activist.

The footage also shows Eisner after he was injured – allegedly by the Danish protester – with his hand bandaged.

The IDF is still analyzing the video and deposing several witnesses as part of its investigation.

We really are mad. These protesters were neither innocent nor peaceful.

Labels: Denmark, IDF ethics, International Solidarity Movement, Jordan Valley, Palestinian terrorism

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 8:27 PM