Israeli Unit That Assaulted CNN Team Returns to Duty After One-Month Suspension
Reflecto News | Middle East | Press Freedom
JERUSALEM — An Israeli military reserve battalion that assaulted and detained a CNN news crew in the occupied West Bank last month has been redeployed following a one-month suspension, an Israeli security source confirmed to CNN .
The unit, a reserve component operating under the ultra-Orthodox “Netzah Yehuda” battalion, underwent an education seminar and additional training during its suspension. According to Israel’s Army Radio, the unit is expected to return to full operational activities in the coming days .
🔴 What Happened: The Assault on the CNN Team
The incident occurred on March 26, 2026, in the Palestinian village of Tayasir in the northern West Bank. The CNN crew had arrived to document settler violence and the establishment of an illegal settler outpost . Within minutes of their arrival, soldiers from the battalion approached the journalists with weapons raised, shouting at them to stop filming .
During the confrontation, a soldier placed CNN photojournalist Cyril Theophilos in a chokehold, brought him to the ground, and damaged his camera equipment . The crew was detained for approximately two hours.
Soldiers on camera made statements expressing a personal motive, citing “revenge” for the death of an 18-year-old settler killed days earlier . Another soldier acknowledged that the settler outpost was illegal under Israeli law but expressed confidence it would eventually be legitimized .
⚖️ The Investigation and Suspension
Within 48 hours of CNN broadcasting the footage, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir took disciplinary action that appeared to be unprecedented, suspending the entire reserve battalion from operational activities . Zamir described the incident as “a serious ethical and professional failure” .
The unit was withdrawn from the West Bank and assigned to undergo a process aimed at “reinforcing its professional and ethical foundations” .
📢 Other Disciplinary Measures
Beyond the battalion-level suspension, two individual soldiers have faced additional consequences, according to IDF sources:
| Individual | Action Taken |
|---|---|
| One soldier (physical assault) | Under criminal investigation for the alleged assault on the photojournalist |
| A second soldier (on-camera statements encouraging “revenge”) | Removed from his position |
Multiple news outlets have reported, however, that police have not yet released any findings or disciplinary measures following a Military Police investigation, and the soldier who placed Theophilos in a chokehold has not faced any additional known suspension .
🏛️ Criticism from Human Rights and Press Freedom Groups
The incident drew swift condemnation from press freedom advocates. The Foreign Press Association declared:
“This was not a misunderstanding. It was a violent assault on clearly identified journalists and a direct attack on press freedom.”
— Foreign Press Association
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) noted that this incident is part of a broader pattern in the West Bank, where reporters have reported being detained, harassed, or assaulted — particularly since the start of the Gaza war in October 2023. CPJ has stated that Israel has been among the “top jailers of journalists” during this period, with at least 60 Palestinian journalists detained or jailed since the war began .
📜 About the Netzah Yehuda Battalion
The battalion involved has a troubled history. Originally established in 1999 to integrate ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) Jewish men into military service, the unit has in recent years drawn recruits from radical right-wing settler factions, including the so-called “Hilltop Youth” .
The battalion has faced international scrutiny before. In January 2022, soldiers from the unit detained 78-year-old Palestinian-American Omar Assad, binding, gagging, and leaving him in the cold. He died from a heart attack. An autopsy indicated he had been beaten .
Following that incident, the Biden administration considered sanctioning the battalion under the Leahy Law, which prohibits US military assistance to foreign security units credibly accused of gross human rights violations. The administration ultimately backed away after Israel said it had taken corrective steps .
🔮 What Comes Next
The unit has been redeployed after completing its training and suspension period. However, an Israeli official told CNN that the Central Command, which governs military operations in the West Bank, will decide when they can fully return to duty. The battalion’s reserve status means its members can continue to be called up for service .
The Military Police investigation remains ongoing, and additional command measures are expected at a later stage, according to IDF statements .
📋 Key Takeaways for Reflecto News Readers
| Aspect | Summary |
|---|---|
| What happened | Soldiers assaulted and detained CNN crew covering settler outpost in Tayasir, West Bank; photojournalist placed in chokehold and camera damaged |
| Unit involved | Reserve battalion under ultra-Orthodox Netzah Yehuda battalion; has prior record of abuses including death of Palestinian-American detainee in 2022 |
| Disciplinary action (unit) | One-month suspension; unit completed “ethical training” seminar; returned to duty |
| Disciplinary action (individuals) | One soldier under criminal investigation; one soldier removed from position |
| Status of military police investigation | No findings or additional discipline released |
| Press freedom context | Part of broader pattern of harassment of journalists in West Bank, per CPJ |
| Next steps | Central Command to determine when unit can fully return; further command measures pending |
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