The above video, captured by an AFP journalist, shows embedded Israeli troops with a group of Palestinian stone-throwers.
The undercover agents on Wednesday grabbed and beat one man while opening fire as stones flew toward them. One of the agents also appeared to shoot the man in the thigh at point-blank range. In all, three people were wounded, including one who was in critical condition after he was shot in the back of the head, according to AFP.
In a Facebook post, IDF Spokesman Peter Lerner published a 17-second video put out by the IDF (below) showing the incident from a different angle and identifying the undercover forces as being from the IDF’s elite “Duvdevan” unit.
Riots have spread through east Jerusalem and the West Bank in recent days.
Israel’s military declined to comment directly on who the soldiers were. Spokesman Arye Shalicar said only that the army is equipped with such units, without confirming whether or not those involved in Wednesday’s incident were among them.
A stabbing in Jerusalem.A Stabbing in Kiryat Gat.A Stabbing in Petah Tikva. An attempted lynch in Tekoa. A car rammed into a checkpoint. While the terrorists must think they are on to something. I'll leave you with these 17 seconds, it took our 'Duvdevan', Special Forces unit to arrest three Palestinians that together with a crowd of about 300 were attacking anybody traveling the main road to Jerusalem. Special Forces, a small, select group of men, infiltrated the masses and posed as Palestinians. In the few seconds when they activated their mission, they scared everybody around to disperse. These guys are courageous, daring and are putting themselves at risk for the rest of us. Two words - THANK YOU
Posted by Lt. Col. Peter Lerner on Wednesday, 7 October 2015