Israeli soldiers run over praying Palestinian man, sparking global condemnation

A shocking incident in which a Palestinian man praying on the side of a road in the occupied West Bank was deliberately driven into by a car has sparked widespread condemnation and outrage around the world. The incident came to international attention after a video of the incident went viral on social media on Thursday, December 25.

The Israeli military (IDF) confirmed the incident in a statement, saying that the accused was a reserve soldier. He has been temporarily suspended from duty and his weapons have been confiscated.

The viral video shows the Israeli soldier, wearing civilian clothes, driving an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) with a gun slung over his shoulder and directly driving into the praying Palestinian man. The man fell to the ground. The soldier then shouted and gestured for him to leave the area immediately.

The victim's father, Majdi Abu Makho, told AFP that his son is currently at home but is suffering from severe pain in both legs. He also alleged that the accused soldier, although not visible in the video, sprayed pepper spray in his son's eyes.

The Times of Israel reported that the accused was arrested on Thursday night and a court ordered him to be placed under house arrest for five days. The report also noted that the man has previously been accused of shooting in the village.

According to the United Nations, 2025 was marked as a record "violent year" in attacks by Israeli settlers and soldiers on Palestinians in the West Bank.

It is worth noting that the ongoing violence began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas attacks in Israel killed about 1,200 people and abducted 251. In response, Israel's continuous military operations in Gaza have so far killed about 71,000 Palestinians, more than half of whom are women and children.