PA: Latest Israeli soldier video 'deeply offensive'

RAMALLAH (Ma'an) -- A personal film showing an Israeli soldier dancing around a Palestinian woman uploaded to YouTube on Monday "is a disgusting illustration of the sick mentality of the occupier," a Palestinian Authority statement said.

The video, showing an Israeli soldier belly-dancing next to a woman who is a blindfolded and handcuffed, head leaning against a concrete wall, sparked outrage for Palestinians and embarrassment for the Israeli military, as Tel Aviv papers branded the incident "Another YouTube embarrassment for IDF."

At the start of the clip a red speech bubble appears next to the bound woman, saying in Hebrew "Allahu Akbarrrrrrrrrrr."



A government statement slammed the video, saying "This is not an isolated incident," and crediting easy technology with the revelation of "a wider Israeli policy that behaves above the law and the human rights values."

The film, moreover, "is deeply offensive to the dignity of women," the statement said.

It was the third time online social media sites had brought to light video and images of Israeli soldiers posing with or abusing Palestinians in their custody.

In August, an Israeli soldier uploaded pictures to her Facebook account, showing her during military service in the West Bank, posing with blindfolded Palestinian prisoners. Comments exchanged on the album were labeled offensive.

A video of soldiers performing a dance routine in the middle of occupied Hebron, in the southern West Bank, also raised concerns over the unprofessional behavior of troops, with analysts calling the move more of a summer camp prank than conduct befitting officers.

In March, Israeli forces called off a raid into the West Bank after a soldier posted details on Facebook. The soldier was relieved of combat duty shortly after he described in a status update how his unit planned a "clean-up" arrest raid, including its time and place.

The PA called for Israel to adhere to the International Law and respect human rights, calling the violations "part of the occupier culture and will not end unless occupation is ended."