IDF soldier filmed damaging Palestinian’s car during West Bank violence

The military later confirmed that the incident had occurred, saying it was “viewed with severity” and that an investigation had been opened.

The vandalism came amid a wave of violence in the territory over the weekend.

On Friday, an IDF officer, a reserve soldier and four Palestinians were killed in a gun battle between the Havat Gilad settlement and the Palestinian village of Tal.

The confrontation occurred after a group of Israeli hikers entered Palestinian Authority-controlled territory, according to the IDF.

A group of Palestinians reportedly threw rocks at the hikers, and then are said to have taken their weapons before opening fire.

Israeli troops were deployed and Major Yuval Ezra, 27, from Herzliya, was fatally shot.

Benayahu Melet, 32, a member of Havat Gilad rapid-response security team and its agriculture director, was also killed.

The IDF said the gunman who carried out the attack was killed by soldiers immediately after opening fire on the Israeli civilians, and troops recovered the weapon he had stolen during the assault. Three other Palestinians were killed and four wounded in an ensuing gunfight, it said.

Then, on Sunday, Israeli settlers set fire to two mosques in the area, according to local officials.

The mayor of Qusra, a village close to Tal, said the settlers burned down a local mosque, which was under construction at the time.

Photos from the site show the word “revenge” graffitied on the wall in Hebrew.

And a similar incident reportedly took place in Kour, with a mosque burned and slogans painted on the walls.

The IDF said it was working to stem instances of “nationalist crime”.

However, new Israeli outposts, which are considered illegal under Israeli law, have already sprung up in the area after Prime Minister Netanyahu said his government would seek to expand the settlement programme following Friday’s shooting.