Slippery Slope

Commander of Central Command, Gen. Nitzan Alon, ordered on the weekend to dismantle the fences surrounding the settlements Ofra and Adam. The fences were erected without authorization and in violation of the law, and deny Palestinians access to their lands. The IDF had committed to the High Court of Justice to dismantle the fences until the end of 2012 and construct alternative ones. Three months after the deadline, Gen. Alon decided to dismantle the fences even though the alternate fences have yet to be erected. (Haaretz)

(Hebrew – Haaretz)

A military physician serving at the central command is suspected of raping and sexually assaulting female soldiers during medical examinations.

(Hebrew)

The head of the Itamar Hesder Yeshiva, and former IDF Chief Rabbi, Avichai Rontzki, told a right-wing activist who informed him of his plan to attend a memorial service for the Fogel Family that he would make sure “that your hands and legs will be broken if you open your mouth against the IDF’s Head of Central Command.” (Ynetnews)

(Hebrew – Walla)

Following the advice of the Attorney General, Yehuda Weinstein, Minister of Defence Ehud Barak instructed GOC Central Command Maj.-Gen. Nitzan Alon to officially recognize the Ariel University Center of Samaria as a full-fledged university. (Ynetnews)

(Hebrew – Ynet)

Col. Eli Bar On, the IDF’s Central Command’s legal advisor, accuses Maj. Gen. Motti Almoz, the head of the Civil Administration, of dereliction of his legal duty to end the encroachment by Jewish settlers in the West Bank on land farmed by Palestinians. (Haaretz)

(Hebrew - Haaretz)

The Israel Police will compensate a group of right-wing activists – including Itamar Ben-Gvir, Noam Federman, Daniela Weiss, Nadia Matar and Yehudit Katzover – who were detained three years ago by the Police when they intended to protest in front of the home of then-head of Israel Central Command, General Gadi Shamni.

(Hebrew)

The IDF has decided to attach a protective detail to Central Command Chief Gen. Avi Mizrahi due to fear for his life after the general issued a directive to deal with extreme right wing activists harshly.

(Hebrew)

Three soldiers living in the Binyamin region and serving in the Central Command have been arrested on charges that they were involved in ”price tag” activity against the military, actions in which IDF property was vandalized.

(Hebrew)

An Israeli citizen was killed and three more injured following an incident in which soldiers fired at an Israeli car in the South Hebron Hills.  Rabbi Dan Mertzbach was on his way to pray at the Cave of the Patriarchs when he was shot dead.  The soldiers signaled for the car to stop, and after Mr. Mertzbach failed to do so one of the soldiers fired eight bullets at him.  According to a senior source in the IDF’s Central Command, following the shooting the soldier ran towards the car and was hit by a Palestinian truck.  According to the IDF’s rules of engagement for the West Bank, shooting at a moving vehicle is forbidden.

The Central Command Military Tribunal sentenced a soldier in Israel’s army who had his picture taken near a bound Palestinian to five months in prison (Hebrew). The photographs were found in the soldier’s cellphone, after he was arrested due to suspicions of having committed drug-related offenses. The solider, a former fighter in the ultra-orthodox Nahal brigade Netzach Yehuda, had his picture taken while he was pointing his weapon, loaded and cocked, at a Palestinian man. He also photographed two of his friends doing the same thing.