Thank you for your donation to Breaking the Silence
Amount:
25
50
100

250
500
1,000
or enter an amount:
ILS
EUR
USD
GBP

Pay with Paypal / Credit Card
One time
Monthly
Checks

Checks should be made out to “Breaking the Silence” and sent to:

POB 51027
6713206 Tel Aviv

Money transfer

“Breaking the Silence”
Account number 340211, Branch 567 at Hapoalim Bank

SWIFT: POALILIT

IBAN:
IL310125670000000340211

Tax Deductible

US tax deductible donations can be made through the website of the New Israel Fund.

For tax deductible donations from Europe please contact info@breakingthesilence.org.il

For more information

info@breakingthesilence.org.il

Sign-up for our newsletter
submit
Read our past newsletters
menu
Newsletter Twitter Facebook Instagram Spotify YouTube
Advanced Search
Categories Ranks Units Areas Periods
401st Brigade Mechanised Infantry5th Brigade (Reserves)7th Brigade Mechanised InfantryAir ForceAlexandroni Reserve BrigadeantiaircraftArmored CorpsArmored Corps 7, 75 battalionArmored Corps 8, 455 battalion (Reserves)Armored Corps reconnaissance Unit, 401st BrigadeArmored Corps reconnaissance Unit, 7th BrigadeArmored Corps, 188 BrigadeArmored Corps, 401 BrigadeArmored Corps, 500 BrigadeArmored Corps, 7 BrigadeArtilery 9305Artillery CorpsArtillery Corps - Miniature UAV unitArtillery Corps - Target AcquisitionArtillery Corps, 402 BattalionArtillery Corps, 404 BattalionArtillery corps, 405 BattalionArtillery Corps, 411 BattalionArtillery Corps, 55 BattalionArtillery Corps, Meitar UnitArtillery Corps, Moran UnitArtillery MLRSBinyamin Regional BrigadeBorder PoliceCaracal battalionCheckpoint M.PChemical Warfare BattalionCivilian PoliceCOGATCombat intelligenceDuchifat BattalionDuvdevan UnitEducation CorpsEfraim BrigadeEgoz Reconnaissance UnitEngineering CorpsEngineering, 601 BattalionEngineering, 603 BattalionEngineering, 605 BattalionErez BattalionEtzion Regional CommandGaza RegimentGivati - Rotem BattalionGivati - Shaked BattalionGivati BrigadeGivati Engineering UnitGivati Reconnaissance PlatoonGolani BrigadeGolani Reconnaissance PlatoonGolani, 12 BattalionGolani, 13 BattalionHaruv BattalionIDF SpokespersonInfantryInfantry Commanders AcademyIntelligenceJordan Valley Regional BrigadeJudea and Samaria RegimentJudea Regional BrigadeKarakal BattalionKfir BrigadeKherev BattalionLavi Battalionlook-outMaglan ReconnaissanceMechanized InfantryMilitary CourtMilitary PoliceNachal engineering UnitNachal Special ForcesNachshon BattalionNahal Anti Tank UnitNahal BrigadeNahal HarediNahal Reconnaissance PlatoonNahal, 50th BattalionNahal, 931st BattalionNahal, 932nd BattalionNaval Special ForcesNavyOketz Canine unitOtherParatroopersParatroopers Anti Tank UnitParatroopers engineering UnitParatroopers Reconnaissance BattalionParatroopers Reconnaissance PlatoonParatroopers, 101st BattalionParatroopers, 202nd BattalionParatroopers, 890th BattalionReserve Batallion 5033ReservesReserves - 7490 BattalionReserves - Civilian CorpsReserves - Jerusalem BrigadeReserves - Mechanized Infantry 8104 battalionSachlav UnitSamaria Regional BrigadeSamur - Special Engineering UnitSearch and Rescue Brigade (Homefront Command)Shaldag Reconnaissance UnitShimshon BattalionSouthern CommandSouthern Gaza Regional BrigadeThe Civil AdministrationYael ReconnaissanceYahalom - Special Engineering Unityamas
Free text search
Categories
Ranks
Units
Areas
Periods
Text testimonies There was this ‘wild West’ atmosphere
catalog number: 704998
Rank: First Sergeant
Unit: Nahal Brigade
Area: Jenin area
period: 2006 - 2007
categories:
215  views    0  comments
There was this ‘wild West’ atmosphere
Rank: First Sergeant
Unit: Nahal Brigade
Area: Jenin area
period: 2006 - 2007

Every night would usually end with about 20 arrests. Our average was higher, and we’d end up with a few X’s (soldiers mark an X on their rifle to signify a person they have killed), and that went over fine. There was this ‘wild West’ atmosphere. There’s a huge list of names (of wanted people), so we’d choose something that looked doable and every night try to carry out at least 2-3 arrests. Usually, in order to get them out, we’d surround the house with vehicles, come there quietly at night, and then whoever had been to an Arabic course would call out to them on the loudspeaker to come outside. Usually, we didn’t want to tell them who we were looking for specifically, so we’d try to get them all out. I remember once, we were on an arrest mission and it was a home that several families shared. We threw a stun grenade to kind of wake them up, because it was night-time after all, and some old woman had an epileptic fit, I don’t know if it was really epilepsy, but something like that. We started taking care of her and she was hysterical and the whole family was on top of us. For a long time, we did that every night, coming to a house, sometimes really surrounding it, at night, calling out on the loudspeaker, throwing stun grenades, sometimes opening fire. Sometimes it ended lightly, sometimes less. A lot of times, we had to search the houses after they came out. We’d go in, get the whole family out, tell them to get out. It was usually a pretty weird sight, a whole family – the Palestinians have big families, they live in houses with three floors or something. All the mothers would come out with the kids, and the men were usually separated from them. We’d go in to search, and usually we didn’t find anything very interesting, I guess because stuff was hidden, if it there was any. Sometimes we’d find weapons. We usually ended up with one or two people shackled and blindfolded. We had to bring them to a detention facility and there were lots of delays, so there were soldiers who took their pictures of themselves with the detainees with their cellphone cameras, and I’d have to tell them off. Stuff that people post on Facebook these days. Sometimes there was too much violence, but there was usually a reason, it was because of resistance. Let’s say that in most cases, if someone cooperated with us, there was no problem. If someone resisted, swore at us, was a bit aggressive and such, he would cop it. I remember that often, they’d really tighten the plastic handcuffs in order to teach them not to mess with us next time. I remember that a lot of times, I had to ask soldiers to change the handcuffs because, since I was the one in charge of the infirmary, I couldn’t pass someone on in such condition, with his hands all purple. The ones who resisted, their arrest was more aggressive and brutal.

Do you know whom you’re arresting? You know, you have general information about the people, sometimes you have pictures, sometimes not, and you know a bit about who and what they are. Often, it’s people who aren’t important and are defined as “close to X” or “know X”, who have to be questioned.