Israeli Nature Authority Employee Suspended After Forcibly Removing Haredi Yeshiva Students

An employee of the Israel Nature and Parks Authority was filmed forcibly removing a group of Haredi yeshiva students from the Nahal Snir nature reserve while shouting "Deserters go home." The incident, which occurred two days ago, sparked widespread public outrage after the video quickly circulated on social media. In the footage, the employee can be heard defiantly addressing the camera, saying, "What happened? Who did I provoke? I said deserters go home, what's the problem?"

Following the public uproar, Environment Minister Idit Silman and the Authority's CEO, Raya Shurki, ordered the immediate suspension of the employee pending a formal investigation. The Nature and Parks Authority condemned the behavior as "exceptional and unacceptable," stating it contradicts the organization's values and commitment to serving all sectors of Israeli society with respect and equality.

The Authority emphasized that it hosts hundreds of thousands of visitors annually from all social groups and works closely with the Haredi community to make nature sites accessible to them. They clarified that this incident does not reflect the Authority's overall approach, which promotes nature conservation and inclusive hiking opportunities for all citizens.