IDF reprimands settler official over illegal construction
The security official was filmed using his IDF-issued vehicle to transport material used for illegal construction, which violates army regulations.
A security coordinator in a West Bank settlement has been reprimanded by the Israel Defense Forces after being filmed using his IDF-issued vehicle to transport material used for illegal construction.
It is against army regulations to use the security vehicle for anything unrelated to security work.
An activist with the anti-occupation NGO Ta'ayush filmed the coordinator on Tuesday at the outpost of Avigail in the southern Hebron Hills, documenting his transport of iron construction components in a security vehicle provided by the IDF. The man had been driving on Route 317 connecting the outpost to the nearby settlements of Sussia and Maon.
Following a query by Haaretz, the security coordinator was called in for questioning by the IDF. He said he was moving the equipment to help a neighbor and did not know it was going to be used for construction at the site.
The IDF Spokesman's Office stated: "The matter has been brought to the attention of the commanders and was looked into and dealt with accordingly. It was made clear to the security coordinator of the Avigail settlement that the security vehicle is to be used for security activity only. The security coordinator was reprimanded and promised it would not happen again. The case has been brought to the attention of all the security coordinators in the Central Command to prevent such incidents in the future."
Human rights activists have recently seen renewed illegal construction in the Avigail outpost and have filed complaints with the police and the Civil Administration.