The testimony of a civilian, a former IDF soldier, from one of the hitchhiking stations in the Samaria area ostensibly reinforces allegations of placing forces unsuited to the operational needs of the sector, claims heard in the past by IDF security coordinators.
The civilian, Yonatan, told Arutz Sheva, "I came to one of the hitchhiking stations and saw a male soldier and a female soldier there. The female soldier was standing in a very sloppy way, in a way that not only didn't add to the sense of security but was actually harmful to security. The hostile population sees soldiers that look like this and it adds to their feelings of security."
Yonatan said that the soldier was holding her weapon in a non-operational way, a way that didn't conform to the rules of vigilance that are required for operational activity in general and in Judea and Samaria in particular. "The Arab population sees that there are forces here that don't guard the residents properly and this harms security."
Yonatan added that the soldier was engaged in a conversation with two young men, and considering that there have been attacks in the area in the past, her conduct may have dangerous operational implications. Yonatan expressed regret that he didn't see fit to comment to the soldier about the way she was standing.
Yonatan notes that he spoke with a reservist officer who passed by and he also criticized the soldier's conduct, but unfortunately the officer didn't approach the soldier either. "I was wrong about that," he says.
We asked Yonatan whether this reality of a lack of operational readiness necessarily related to the conduct of female soldiers. We mentioned that male soldiers also find themselves tired during a long shift of six hours or more, sometimes without food or drink, which can affect the way they hold their weapons or engage in conversations with others. Yonatan agreed and clarifies that he "doesn't think it's necessarily only because she is a female soldier. A male soldier who stands like that also needs to be criticized. I'm familiar with the situation, I also stood for hours in static positions. Being a soldier is difficult but there are basic standards that must be met. The goal is to protect the people of Israel and the State of Israel and we must stand in the proper way for this purpose."