Commander who completed a minyan for rioters in Qusra removed from command

The IDF has completed its investigation into footage showing soldiers praying alongside rioters who established an outpost and besieged a family home in Qusra. A reserve commander has been removed from his command position but will be permitted to remain in the army.

According to the investigation, a commander and three soldiers tasked with securing the area and preventing friction were asked by the rioters to help complete a minyan. The commander agreed, and he and two other soldiers prayed at the outpost. The incident was filmed from a distance and subsequently distributed globally, accompanied by claims that the IDF was cooperating with the rioters rather than evacuating them.

The commander was initially suspended following the publication of the footage, and it has now been decided to remove him from all command positions. However, he will be allowed to continue serving in non-command roles within his battalion. The IDF investigation distinguished between the commander and his soldiers, who were not punished.

The IDF stated:

"The inquiry found that this was a reserve force acting in accordance with the instructions of the force commander, who led the action contrary to what was expected of him and contrary to the instructions given to him."

The instructions, according to the IDF, were "to be present in the area for the purpose of complete separation between the two populations, and to avoid performing actions that could be interpreted as identification or support for illegal activity at the outpost that caused damage." The IDF maintains that the severity of the incident lies in the cooperation with law-breaking civilians. However, because the patrol soldiers acted under their commander's orders, it was decided not to take disciplinary measures against them.