They sent us for Tu Bishvat activities (a Jewish festival on which it is customary to plant trees). They sent [Civil] Administration soldiers. We planted trees with some kindergarten near Beit El, [a settlement] in the [occupied] territories, and it was surreal, surreal. I just stood there, [thinking] like, what’s going on? How is this cool?
Why?
I’m a soldier in an army that isn’t political and I’m doing the most political thing in the world. Like, trees are war. Trees are soldiers on the ground, and with kindergarten kids, like “how cute.”
You were part of the Battle for Area C.
I lent a hand. Just kidding, I planted a tree.
Is that something that happens a lot, this tree planting?
There are lots of activities with the settlers, like with the nearby settlements. That was just another one of those. During [the festival of] Hannukah, we’d go light candles together, get doughnuts, stuff like that. We’d go volunteer in settlements, stuff like that.