Israeli Soldiers Harass Mosque in Jenin, by Chanting, Praying

Jenin, MINA – A number of Israeli soldiers were recorded on video circulating harassing a mosque in Jenin, West Bank by singing and praying into a microphone.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) condemned the behavior of several of its soldiers who were recorded singing and praying at a mosque, as reported in a video circulating on Friday.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health said this occurred during an operation against Hamas Resistance Fighters in the city, which has so far killed 11 Palestinians.

The clip circulating on social media shows a view of the mosque. In one recording, a song about driving away darkness, associated with the current Jewish festival of Hanukkah, can be heard sung in Hebrew over loudspeakers in the tower.

The person recording laughed and sang along to the song. Another clip shows soldiers inside a mosque reciting Jewish prayers through microphones. The Palestinian foreign ministry condemned what it called an “insult to the sanctity of the mosque”.

In a statement on Thursday, the IDF said the soldier acted contrary to the IDF’s code of ethics in religious institutions.

The statement said those responsible were immediately dismissed from operational activities. “The behavior of the soldiers in the video is serious and completely contrary to the values ​​of the IDF,” he explained.

The IDF said the soldiers would be appropriately disciplined. It will also act in similar cases that have been recorded in Gaza. (T/RE1/P2)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)