The Border Guards and the Massacre in Nahalin

By Daniel Ben-Simon

(Translated from the Hebrew by Israel Shahak)

Davar, April 18, 1989

While the report of the investigation into the massacre at Nahalin has not been fully published, the information so far paints a sorry picture of the behavior of the Border Guards. From the preliminary findings, it is clear that the Border Guards were violent to both the villagers and the regular army. The villagers told the investigating committee that in the week before the incident, a Border Guard jeep went every day to the outskirts of the village and broadcast curses from its loudspeaker. The inhabitants were told to bring their wives so the Border Guards could have sex with them.

Those who served in the territories during the last week should not be surprised about what happened in Nahalin. Those who have been in touch with Border Guards during their period of service should not be surprised by their immoral behavior. From the beginning of the intifada, the atmosphere in the unit has been saturated with hatred toward the inhabitants of the territories. This is apparent even in the way that members of the Border Guard look at them.

The Border Guards were the first to put nails into their clubs to increase their efficiency and the first to torture the inhabitants. In everything connected to particularly brutal behavior, they were the pioneers.

I did a long period of reserve service near a Border Guard unit. I knew the members of this unit who were stationed in a village near Jerusalem. I have seen them on their return from their "operational activities." Many hours after their operations they were still in a state of ecstasy. They were competing with each other in the stories of their exploits.

Their stories were full of sadistic and explicit sexual terminology. Their hatred of the Arabs had no limits. Both the Jews and the non-Jews (Druse) in that unit shared it. They treated with utmost scorn those reserve soldiers who showed even a little disgust at their acts.

From talks with them I discovered that most of them were placed in the Border Guard unit because the regular army would not accept them—either because of complete lack of education or other forms of unsuitability

They were great admirers of Rabbi Meir Kahane and said that they would vote for him in the coming elections. A few said that they would vote for Likud. Labor and parties of the left were seen as a fifth column that should be exterminated. The Muslim Friday night prayer at the Temple Mount Mosque was regarded as the height of abomination. They watched with hatred the thousands of worshippers making their way to the mosque and shouted fanatical and chauvinistic slogans at them. They had difficulty in understanding the restraint shown by the police toward the worshippers. They complained again and again about the strict orders imposed on them relating to the opening of fire. They demanded that their commanders allow them "to beat up the mother of the Arab maniacs."

The brutal sentiments among the members of the Border Guard are no secret to the regular army and the police. They are well aware that to put the territories under their control is a permit for bloodshed. The decision to remove the army from the centers of Palestinian population is a wise decision. The decision to put the Border Guard in their place is a mistaken one. Nahalin is their first victim and, if the policy is not changed, it will not be the last.

This article is included in From the Hebrew Press, a monthly compilation of significant translations by Dr Israel Shabak, distributed by the American Educational Trust at $30 for 12 issues ($25 for subscribers to the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs).