Reserve Battalion 941, made up largely of veterans from the haredi Netzach Yehuda Battalion, resumed full operational activity this week in the Judea and Samaria sector after being suspended for about a month following a series of unusual incidents.
During the suspension period, the battalion’s soldiers were removed from operational duties and underwent an intensive program of educational sessions, training and disciplinary instruction aimed at reinforcing operational and ethical standards.
Shortly after returning to activity, Battalion 941 carried out a large-scale operation in the Qalandiya Refugee Camp. The operation included arrests and searches for weapons.
The controversy surrounding the battalion began following an incident near Tayasir, in which several soldiers were involved in a confrontation with a camera crew from CNN.
Following an investigation into the incident, IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir accepted commanders’ recommendations to immediately remove the battalion from operational deployment.
The IDF said at the time that the battalion’s return to field activity would depend on the completion of the disciplinary and training process, as well as approval from the regional commander.