A violent attack on an Israeli soldier attempting to arrest a rock-throwing Palestinian boy generated praise by private Arab citizens for the IDF’s restraint as well as criticism of their own leadership.
Images of an IDF soldier attacked by violent women in the Palestinian village of Nabi Saleh while attempting to arrest a rock-throwing boy generated outrage in Western media, which almost always sides with those against Israel. Journalists decried the soldier’s alleged violence and condemned the Israeli “occupation.”
A number of Arabs chatting on social media, however, praised the soldier for the restraint he exhibited, which is in stark contrast to the treatment to which they are accustomed by the military in their own countries. The IDF soldier did not use extreme physical violence or his weapon, even though his life was clearly threatened.