IDF Soldier Suspended After Pointing Weapon at Ultra-Orthodox Bus Passengers

An unusual incident at a checkpoint on Highway 443 on Saturday night led to the suspension of an IDF soldier after he pointed his personal weapon at ultra-Orthodox passengers during a dispute on a bus. The case was first reported by Israel Hayom correspondent Yaakov Hershkovitz.

According to passengers, the soldier boarded the bus during a routine security inspection and ordered several riders to get off immediately, saying the bus was carrying too many passengers. One passenger said, “A loud argument started, and suddenly he just pointed the rifle at us. People started screaming, there was total panic inside. No one understood why a routine check turned into a life-threatening incident.”

Passengers said some of them objected, telling the soldier he had no authority to remove them from the bus. The argument escalated into a direct confrontation, and at its peak, the soldier drew his weapon and aimed it at the frightened riders. The army suspended him at once from operational duty and from his current deployment.

The IDF said the area is subject to regular bus searches and checks because of repeated attempts by illegal entrants to infiltrate Israel using public transportation. It said the passengers were indeed asked to get off for inspection and questioning, but the soldier’s conduct was improper and violated procedure. The army said the relevant rules were immediately reinforced among all forces in the sector, and the full investigation is continuing.