In an unusual move Wednesday, the spokesman of the Israel Defense Forces leveled harsh criticism at left-wing activist group B'Tselem, which recently broadcast a video of an IDF soldier aiming his weapon at an unarmed Palestinian man near the settlement of Yitzhar, south of Nablus. In the video, taken as part of a B'Tselem project involving handing out cameras to Palestinians to record IDF misdeeds, an Israeli soldier is seen ordering another soldier to point his gun at the man, and later arresting him. IDF Spokesperson and Personnel Directorate head Maj. Gen. Moti Almoz wrote on his Facebook page Wednesday that the soldiers acted precisely as expected and that the IDF fully supports them. "Greetings to all who would defame us," the spokesman's post begins. "We don't always respond because sometimes all you seek to gain is free publicity, even if it is by way of provocation. Sometimes you decide that a video or a remark are of the utmost importance, even more important than the truth. "This past week, a video was distributed featuring an IDF officer engaged in routine operations in the vicinity of Yitzhar. The IDF's commanders and soldiers work day and night to defend the citizens of Israel and they will continue to do so. There is a substantial difference between filming an event as it happens and manufacturing an event by arriving somewhere with a camera," he continued. "Most often, you choose the latter and generate friction that was not there initially. The officer appearing in the video acted as expected, with the full support of his commanders. "You go on making movies pretending to promote freedom of expression even though your expression is detached from reality, and we will go on defending the State of Israel and ensuring its citizen's safety without entering into political debates," he concluded. While Almoz did not specifically name B'Tselem in his post, it was clear from his description what he was referring to. B'Tselem issued a statement Wednesday saying, "We wish to clarify to the IDF spokesman that Palestinians do not 'arrive somewhere with a camera.' They live there, on their land. Unfortunately, the IDF spokesman's Facebook post proves once again that the state's objective is to advance the illegal settlement enterprise and promote land theft while trampling on Palestinians' basic human rights by way of the military." Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman also touched on the B'Tselem video in a post on his Facebook page, writing, "Those who revile Israel from B'Tselem are continuing to shame the IDF and its troops by way of provocations, falsified videos and distorted truths. I support the soldiers and commanders of the IDF."
