The Commander of Judea and Samaria Division, Brig-Gen Nitzan Alon, suspended a reserve officer with the rank of lieutenant following an incident Saturday in which four Arabs were wounded.
The force under the officer's command opened fire at a suspect car with four Arabs inside it, near the village of Husan in Gush Etzion.
The force was engaged in conducting security checks on Arab vehicles in the Bethlehem area, according to an initial inquiry by Etzion Brigade Commander Col. Oren Makov. In the course of its activity, it was attacked with fire bombs and rocks. At the same time, a suspicious vehicle with Arabs in it moved near the soldiers, who opened fire on it.
Four Arabs inside the vehicle were wounded – one moderately and the others lightly.
The IDF said that it and the Civil Administration offered to assist the wounded and expressed sorrow over the incident.
An IDF source said that the force opened fire in a way that did not conform with IDF instructions and that the military therefore decided to suspend the commander until full inquiry was conducted. After the inquiry is completed, the IDF will decide whether it will take additional steps against those involved.