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Israel Investigates Video of Soldier Dancing Around Female Prisoner


Israel's military has ordered an investigation into a video posted on the YouTube website that appears to show a male Israeli soldier belly-dancing around a bound Palestinian woman.

Authorities have not said if they think the video is authentic. However, in a Tuesday statement the Israeli military condemned action depicted in the video and said it is working to eliminate such behavior by briefing its soldiers.

The video first came to light Monday when it was broadcast on Israeli television network Channel 10. An Internet user in Israel posted the grainy clip on YouTube two years ago.

In it, a man dressed in an Israeli military uniform gyrates to a drumbeat around a woman who is wearing an Islamic headscarf and leaning against a wall with her eyes and hands bound. A Hebrew speech bubble comes out of her mouth reading, "Allahu Akbhar," Arabic for "God is greatest."

The Palestinian Authority has called the video a "disgusting illustration of the sick mentality of the occupier," a reference to Israel.

In a similar case earlier this year, a former Israeli soldier provoked Palestinian outrage for posting photographs of herself posing with Palestinian detainees on the social networking site Facebook. The Israeli military also condemned her actions.

Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP.

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