An IDF soldier was documented vandalizing cars belonging to Palestinians during operations in Bethlehem over the weekend, according to footage published on Monday morning by Army Radio.
According to the report, the soldier punctured the tires, kicked the doors and mirrors, smashed the windshields, and slammed his weapon against the windows to break them.
At least three other soldiers witnessed the acts, Army Radio said, noting that none attempted to stop the vandal.
The military confirmed that the incident had taken place overnight between Saturday and Sunday, Army Radio added, and that it "viewed the acts with severity."
Further, it told Army Radio that the Etzion Regional Brigade has opened an investigation into the incident, though it refused to detail if any steps had been taken against those involved.
Incident follows trend of nationalist crime in West Bank
In a separate incident, a mosque in the West Bank village of Kusra was set on fire on Saturday night, in what is suspected to be a nationalist crime in response to the deadly attack that occurred the day earlier.
The words “Revenge for Benayahu,” one of the victims killed in Friday’s terror attack, were spray-painted on the entrance wall alongside a Star of David.
In addition, five vehicles were set ablaze in the village of Beitillu. Near Khirbat Abu Falah, tractors and trucks were also torched. Two Palestinians who were apparently beaten during the incident were evacuated from the scene to a hospital for medical treatment.
The incidents came two days after Benayahu Mellet, a member of the local emergency response squad and the agriculture coordinator at Gilad Farm, was murdered in a shooting attack near the outpost on Friday. Maj. Yuval Ezra, 27, from Herzliya, a battery commander in the Artillery Corps, was also killed in the same incident.
Amir Bohbot contributed to this report.