Destroyed IDF outpost
Destroyed IDF outpostIDF Spokesperson's Office

The Council for Peace and Security, a left-oriented group of former senior security officers, has sent a letter to the IDF Chief of Staff and to the Minister of Defense Wednesday following the recent violence in Yitzhar.

"These events, which undermine the rule of law, expose a sad picture of helplessness and confusion among security forces in Judea and Samaria,” the former senior officers wrote.

"This situation is mostly the result of vague instructions given to commanders by their superiors, as far as the uncompromising approach that is required of them and their soldiers, in the face of violent actions and disturbances by Jews,” the letter explained. "Whoever looks the other way when daily 'price tag' actions are committed against Palestinians, not to mention against representatives of the state and its authorities, must not be surprised when it ends up exploding in his face.

"We urge you to implement your responsibility and to instruct the heads of the security and law enforcement agencies in the area to take action, in view of these harsh events, in a way that sends a clear message, to restore order and deal properly with the lawbreakers, while maintaining the dignity and wellbeing of the IDF soldiers, and giving them the required backing for their actions,” they wrote.

The signatories include Maj. Gen. (res.) Amos Lapidot, Maj. Gen. (res.) Nati Sharoni, Brig. Gen. (res.) Gadi Zohar, Brig. Gen (res.) Aviv Feigel, and others.

The Council favors an Israeli retreat from territory in Judea and Samaria and the establishment of a Palestinian state with eastern Jerusalem as its capital. In 2009, members of the Council joined a court motion by Arab residents of Beit Jala against the Defense Ministry regarding the route of the security barrier.

Clashes between the IDF and Yitzhar residents Tuesday morning ended with four homes demolished, but also an IDF outpost destroyedArutz Sheva spoke to a commander from the Judea and Samaria division, who was at the scene, about the details and causes behind the incident. 

"We have already been deployed here for three weeks," the officer explained. "Early this morning, about fifty men came to the outpost - which defends Yitzhar's Western entrance from terrorist infiltrations - and destroyed everything here: fuel, diesel fuel, heating gas, food, everything."

The officer clarified that while six soldiers were at the outpost at the time, none were hurt.

"Although the rioters destroyed everything that was inside the outpost, the soldiers were not prepared for such a situation," he continued, explaining that they never expected to see "Jews attacking Israeli soldiers."