The Operations Department of the Military Coordination and Liaison Directorate in Hebron issued an especially deluded message to soldiers on operational deployment in the sector, asking them to keep fireworks contained and refrain from eating and drinking at checkpoints in order to avoid hurting the feelings of local Arabs during the Ramadan fast.
In the new instructions provided by the IDF, soldiers are required to follow a series of steps during their operational activities. Among these, they are asked to refrain from eating, drinking, and smoking at checkpoints and other activities near Palestinians, refrain from carrying out roadblocks during the starting and ending hours of the daily fast, and even accommodate Palestinian children transporting fireworks, plastic guns, and other toy weapons.
The IDF explained the reasoning for forbidding soldiers to carry out roadblocks at times when local Muslims are breaking their fast: "We do not want to create congestion on the main roads as worshipers flock to prayers." In addition, the IDF published Muslim prayer times and noted that due to the partial prevention of entry to the Temple Mount, there will be a large presence of Muslims at the Tomb of the Patriarchs in the heart of Hebron as a substitute.
"We try not to upset them and they go on killing sprees"
It should be noted that these instructions calling to "show sensitivity to the feelings of local Arabs" come after two attempted attacks yesterday evening in which terrorists tried to enter the settlements of Adora and Kfar Eldad near Mount Hebron. Settlers in the area who were shown the IDF's instructions for Ramadan were outraged. "We are trying not to upset them too much because of Ramadan and in response they go on a killing spree," they lamented.