Na'aran official detained after pointing gun at new Jericho settlers
A deputy security coordinator was questioned for unlawful use of a weapon following the move of eight Jewish families into homes in the West Bank.
By Victoria Hayes ·
The move of eight Jewish families into homes near Jericho triggered a security incident the following day. On Thursday, a deputy security coordinator from the community of Na'aran was detained after video footage showed him aiming his weapon at Israeli settlers.
The families had moved into the eight houses on Wednesday in an operation led by the Nahala settler movement. The group stated that the homes were purchased at full price and that the operation was conducted covertly with the backing of the Binyamin Regional Council. The incident occurred one day after this public announcement of the new residents.
Police opened an investigation at the Jordan Valley police station in the Judea and Samaria District. The suspicion is unlawful use of a weapon. Two separate reports were filed with authorities. The first alleged that the coordinator pointed his gun at settlers and security forces present in the area. The second report claimed that shots were fired. Investigators are currently determining whether gunfire actually occurred and what triggered the suspect's actions.
Sources close to the suspect told Walla that he did not go to the site on his own initiative. They stated that he was dispatched with a rapid response team following a report of rioters. However, the IDF clarified that the man was not operating on behalf of the military. He is a civilian who serves in a security role in a different community and had no authority in the Jericho area where the incident took place.
An IDF source said the coordinator was not acting in the course of his duties. The IDF Spokesperson's Unit issued an official statement noting that the suspect did not arrive in the area on behalf of the IDF. Police confirmed that the man was detained for questioning and then released under restrictive conditions.
The investigation remains ongoing. Officers are examining the specific circumstances under which the weapon was pointed and reviewing the additional report regarding the alleged shots. The suspect's legal status is currently defined by the restrictive conditions set by police during his release.
