Israeli Soldiers Share Palestinian Detention Footage Despite Misconduct Pledge
Despite the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) pledging to address misconduct revealed by the BBC, Israeli soldiers continue to share footage of Palestinian detentions in the occupied West Bank. Legal experts argue that this filming and its online posting could constitute a war crime.
The BBC analyzed 45 photos and videos, some showing detainees draped in Israeli flags. The IDF stated that soldiers involved in “unacceptable behavior” had been disciplined or suspended but did not comment on individual incidents.
International law stipulates that detainees must not be exposed to unnecessary humiliation or public curiosity. Human rights experts claim that posting detention footage violates this principle. In February, BBC Verify reported on similar IDF misconduct on social media during the war in Gaza following a 7 October Hamas attack on Israel, which killed about 1,200 people and led to over 252 hostages being taken. The ensuing Israeli offensive in Gaza has reportedly killed more than 34,000 people, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry.
The BBC’s earlier investigation also uncovered similar behavior in the West Bank, where violence has surged. Despite previous reports, Ori Givati, a former Israeli soldier and spokesperson for Breaking The Silence, expressed no surprise at the continued misconduct, attributing it to current far-right political rhetoric in Israel that he believes encourages such behavior.
Givati noted that the military culture often dehumanizes Palestinians, treating them as mere targets rather than human beings. Israel has constructed around 160 settlements housing approximately 700,000 Jews in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since the 1967 Middle East war. The international community largely views these settlements as illegal under international law, a stance Israel disputes.
The BBC’s analysis identified 45 social media posts from 11 soldiers of the Kfir Brigade, the largest infantry brigade in the IDF, which mainly operates in the West Bank. These soldiers, serving or reservists, did not hide their identities online. Four were from the Kfir Brigade’s 9213 reservist battalion, operating in the northern West Bank.
When asked about the individual soldiers’ actions, the IDF did not respond. Attempts to contact these soldiers on social media were mostly ignored or blocked. One prolific poster, Yohai Vazana, shared numerous videos depicting his battalion entering homes at night and detaining Palestinians, often binding and blindfolding them. In some videos, women are shown panicking without their headscarves.
Vazana, who brands himself as a “digital creator,” has posted 22 videos and photos on Facebook and TikTok, showing bodycam footage of patrols and detentions. TikTok removed two highlighted videos for violating its guidelines against degrading victims of violent tragedies. Meta, which owns Facebook, is reviewing content for policy violations.
Vazana’s videos often depict operations as “hunts.” His military insignia indicates he is a sergeant major. Fellow soldier Ofer Bobrov frequently appears in Vazana’s posts, and their videos often carry the hashtag “9213,” linking them to the same battalion. Bobrov’s posts mix military operations with lighter moments, such as soldiers dancing and partying.
Another soldier, Sammy Ben, posted eight videos and a photo on Instagram showing Palestinian detainees bound and blindfolded in stress positions. Ben claims to have detained “terrorists” and mocks detainees in his videos, ordering them to say, “Am Yisrael Chai” (“The people of Israel live”).
Ori Dahbash, another member of the same battalion, has also shared footage of military operations, including images of detainees seen in Vazana’s posts.
Experts believe the soldiers’ footage could breach international law. Dr. Mark Ellis, chair of a UN advisory panel on international criminal tribunals, called for an investigation and for the IDF to discipline the soldiers involved. Sir Geoffrey Nice, an international human rights lawyer, echoed this call but doubted accountability would follow.
In response to the investigation, the IDF reiterated its commitment to professional standards and stated that soldiers found guilty of misconduct were disciplined and suspended. Soldiers are instructed not to upload footage of operational activities to social media.
Former IDF commander Ori Givati expressed shame and disgust over the treatment of detainees. He emphasized the need for dignity and respect towards all individuals, highlighting the behavior’s reflection of societal attitudes toward Palestinians and questioning Israel’s adherence to international law. “We have no future as a society if we continue behaving this way,” he said.