Outcry Erupts in IDF Over New Video Instructing Soldiers to Use Krav Maga, Not Guns, to Neutralize Female Terrorists

Ruthie Blum

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A Palestinian woman making the victory sign. Photo: from the Facebook page, “Palestine Belongs to Palestinians!

An outcry erupted in the Israeli defense establishment this weekend, following reports in the press about a new video instructing soldiers serving in the West Bank to avoid shooting female Palestinian terrorists – and opt for using krav maga instead, according to the Hebrew news site nrg on Sunday.

Some called the tutorial clip, which The Algemeiner described on Friday, “insane” and “delusional.” These critics claimed that it is extremely dangerous for soldiers to come in physical contact with terrorists of any gender, as they might be carrying explosives or other weapons on their bodies.

One officer in the reserves said, “We are liable to pay a heavy price for formulating such directives.” He said that many soldiers have complained about being faced with nuances in calculations about when to shoot and when to engage in martial arts during real-time attacks. This, they told him, will make it unclear what is expected of them.

In addition, another military source said, it is unfair to make soldiers faced with an urgent situation have to differentiate between male and female terrorists.

“An attempted terrorist attack has to be thwarted, regardless of considerations about the feelings of revenge aroused in Palestinian society about dead female attackers. This cannot be what guides our actions,” he said, referring to a segment of the video explaining why women perpetrators should be treated differently from their male counterparts.

The purpose of the clip, produced by the Samaria Brigade, was to provide clearer guidelines to those serving in the West Bank, who have been encountering the growing phenomenon of Palestinian girls and women attempting to commit stabbing attacks. Though it stresses that it is preferable for soldiers to neutralize them, whenever possible, without shooting, the video nevertheless concludes by reiterating that soldiers must never put their own lives at risk unnecessarily.

“No change has been made in the rules of engagement,” the IDF spokesman said.

Stabbing and other attacks have become routine since the beginning of the surge in Palestinian terrorism that began a year ago in September and is commonly referred to as the “lone-wolf” intifada.

Watch the IDF instructional video below:

 

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