The Israeli military ordered a reserve battalion off active duty in the occupied West Bank following an incident where a soldier detained a CNN crew and claimed troops were motivated by “revenge” against Palestinians. The unit’s removal follows the filming of one reservist stating the entire West Bank belonged “for the Jews” during the detention near Nablus.

The incident involved a CNN cameraman being placed in a chokehold while documenting the establishment of an unauthorized Israeli settler outpost in Tayasir. Army Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir labeled the event a “grave ethical incident,” insisting weapons must never be used for retribution, only for the mission.

This battalion draws heavily from the Netzah Yehuda Battalion, a unit previously scrutinized under the U.S. Leahy Law for alleged human rights violations against Palestinians. The army apologized to the journalists and mandated additional training for the suspended reservists to reinforce proper conduct.

Disciplinary action reaffirms the military's stated commitment against “unethical norms,” though the history of Netzah Yehuda suggests persistent internal challenges regarding soldier discipline, particularly concerning interactions with the Palestinian population.