LONDON: A video of an Israeli soldier burning a Qur’an has emerged on social media, sparking a wave of criticism.
The video, shared by Israeli Army Radio on Thursday, shows the soldier standing in the ruins of a mosque in East Rafah, Gaza, throwing the Qur’an with its pages open into a fire.
According to Israeli broadcaster Kan, the soldier posted the footage on his personal Instagram account a few days ago.
The incident was condemned by Israeli authorities, who announced the launch of an investigation.
“The soldier’s behavior is not in line with the IDF’s values,” the Israeli army said in a statement.
“The IDF respects all religions and condemns such behavior. An IDF investigation has been opened regarding the incident.”
Palestinian writer and activist Adham Abu Selmiya criticized the act on social media, warning that similar actions have often gone unpunished.
“This is not an isolated incident. The Israeli army has destroyed and bombed over 200 mosques in Gaza in the ongoing genocide, with countless videos of soldiers bragging about these acts,” he said on X.
“This is not limited to Gaza! Settlers in the West Bank have burned Qur’ans in Hebron, facing no repercussions from the Israeli government.”
The following video shows an Israeli soldier burning the Quran, the holy book of Muslims, in Gaza. The Israeli occupation army has confirmed the authenticity of the video. This is yet another example of the occupation’s blatant disrespect for humanity, assaulting the beliefs of… pic.twitter.com/d48gFzLvus
— أدهم أبو سلمية Adham Abu Selmiya (@adham922) May 23, 2024
Another user criticized the conduct, expressing frustration over the lack of condemnation from the international community and Israel’s allies.
“This is the conduct and the morals of Israeli warfare that’s backed by the democratic West,” the post read.
Video of an Israeli soldier burning a Qur’an in a mosque they destroyed in Gaza
This is the conduct and the morals of Israeli warfare that’s backed by the democratic West. pic.twitter.com/1O5fN2VgeK
— Palestine and MENA Info Center (@PALMENA_IC) May 21, 2024
Since the launch of the war on Gaza, Israeli soldiers have posted videos documenting acts of looting, burning, and destruction of homes, assaulting detainees and writing hate graffiti on the walls of houses.
The Israeli army has not announced measures against these soldiers, only stating that their actions “contravene the army’s values.”
In a similar incident in March, an Israeli soldier appeared to have posted a video of himself tearing apart a copy of the Qur’an in a mosque in Gaza.
Some experts have said that the desecration of religious and private places in Gaza is part of a policy of humiliation carried out by Israeli soldiers.