The candid moment in which an Israeli officer slapped and scolded his subordinates, after taking cover from stone throwing Palestinian youths, was caught on camera and the footage is being widely shared online.

The Israel Defense Forces officer can be seen rebuking his soldiers after they hid behind a wall to avoid stones hurled by young Palestinians in the West Bank village of Kafr Qaddum on Friday, the Palestinian news agency Sama reports.

“You are sleeping! Wake up!,” he can be angrily heard saying before smacking two soldiers on the top of the head.

The recording has gone viral on social media in Palestine and other parts of the Middle East and has drawn criticism and ridicule upon the IDF. “Is this the mightiest army in the #Mideast?,” Iran’s Press TV asked in a tweet featuring the video.

Kafr Qaddum residents have long held demonstrations against Israeli settlements on Fridays. Three people, including an Israeli peace activist, were reportedly injured during this week’s protest after clashes broke out, according to the Wafa News agency.

Stone-throwing Palestinian protesters clashes with Israeli occupation forces in the West Bank town of Kafr Qaddum, today. pic.twitter.com/CPaB98P4OX — Quds News Network (@QudsNen) October 4, 2019

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