Videos uploaded to YouTube on Saturday show settlers attacking left-wing activists using stones and a stick. The videos show an Israeli military force witnessing the incident, but making only a limited attempt to stop the violence.

The soldiers did not detain the attackers.

A group of veiled settlers can be seen in the YouTube clips shoving, kicking and using a stick to strike an activist from the group Ta'ayush. The incident took place in the South Hebron Hills where Ta'ayush frequently sends volunteers to accompany local Palestinian shepherds and olive tree growers.

Besides the beating of the activist, the videos show the settlers throwing stones toward the activists and the Palestinians.

Soldiers positioned nearby did nothing to stop the stone-throwing, activists said.

In one of the clips a soldier can be seen trying to intervene and ward off several assailants who had earlier beaten the activist. At the same time, a separate group of settlers can be seen throwing stones with one of them calling to the soldier, "Soldier, kick them out of here."

The soldiers did not detain or ask for the identity of the attackers, according to the activists.

In response the Israel Defense Forces' spokesperson's office said: "The video is edited in a biased way, and shows only part of what happened. The IDF force that was at the scene acted as it should have and according to instructions. The soldiers came to the site, moved the settlers away, and called police, who arrived and questioned the suspects. This is not a case of standing idly by"