I remember a conversation we had before going to the deployment area, and then someone asks: What happens if settlers throw stones? Silence in the room. And then he says, “No, there's nothing you can do with the settlers, unless it’s really life threatening and then you can…”

Who said this? The brigade commander said: “There's nothing you can do about it. Get the police”.” And then you say, “What do you mean? Am I not the police? Ah, I’m only the police against the Palestinians, but if the settlers there riot I need to wait for the real police to arrive?” There was an incident in which there was a terror attack and after that they (settlers) went out to the road and started throwing stones. You get there, try to stop them with your body, “guys, go away,” you beg them. There's nothing you can do to them, and they know it.

The brigade commander said that you’re not allowed to do anything to the settlers and that you have to call the police? Unless they’re threatening lives in that moment, and then of course it’s our job to block anyone from endangering life. You prevent him from endangering life. It’s a bit unclear. [When] you have to stop him - than you can shoot him, but it’s wasn't really said in those words. It’s more the spirit of things.

There are no clear instructions? Not at all. And they try to keep it from becoming an issue. That you won’t do anything, because they will never get to that. There were cases when they were throwing stones on the road and you ask them to stop, they don’t stop and then there’s nothing you can do. You sit and wait for the police to come. And they’re throwing stones in front of you on the road. There aren’t any cars. They’re just filling the road with rocks so that there's no driving through it. And you’re not allowed to do anything. You can’t arrest them.

Did you get the instruction that you’re not allowed? Very clear. I'm not allowed to handcuff them, they’re citizens of the State of Israel, you’re the army. An army cannot arrest its own citizens. The police can get there and handle them as they know how, but we don’t have the tools. And there were cases in which they built a settlement on a Friday afternoon, and you go to chase them out of there, the kids, but there isn't much you can’t really do. You have to wait for the police.

What happens when the police arrive? They’re no longer there? No longer there, or the police drives them away. In ***, near the gas station, there’s a barrier with a lock that prevents Palestinians from passing through. It was decided to open it, to allow them (the Palestinians) more freedom of movement. The settlers heard it on the radio and started throwing stones. We were all sent there. They reached the barrier and started throwing stones on the road, from little kids to adults. And they’re yelling at you, “you leftists, you garbage, you’re defending Palestinians, you hate us.” They throw stones, and you can’t catch them or do anything to them, you can’t handcuff them, you can’t point your weapon at them. You can only place yourself there and try to get them to move back, pleading, “Please bro, what do I need this for now? You’re driving me crazy. Do me a favor.”