The Israeli army acknowledged on Thursday evening that a reserve soldier was responsible for shooting Palestinians and ramming another man who was praying along a roadside in the Palestinian village of Deir Jarir, near Ramallah in the central occupied West Bank.
According to the army’s statement, the initial report it received earlier in the day described the shooter as an “Israeli civilian.”
Subsequent inquiries, however, determined that the individual was a reserve soldier dressed in civilian clothing, which the army characterized as a “serious breach of his authority.” The military said it is still examining whether the gunfire caused injuries.
The statement added that a separate video later surfaced showing an armed man using his vehicle to ram a Palestinian. Military investigators concluded that the same reserve soldier was involved in both incidents.
The army said it is continuing to investigate and will transfer the case to the relevant authorities once its internal review is complete. It also confirmed that the soldier’s weapon had been confiscated and that his reserve service was terminated “due to the gravity of the events.”
Despite this, Israel’s Army Radio reported that the soldier remains at large and has not been detained by any military or civilian authority.
Correspondent Doron Kadosh said he asked the army whether military police had taken the soldier into custody and was told the matter had been handed over to the Israeli police.
He added that he also sought comment from the Shin Bet regarding its involvement in questioning the soldier, but the agency did not respond.
