The Kfir Brigade, or Brigade No. 900, was established in 2005 and is one of the largest infantry brigades in the Israeli army. It includes several elite battalions and units described as specializing in urban and complex warfare.
The brigade has a long history of human rights abuses, with the Israeli newspaper Haaretz accusing it of violence and extremism, and US officials warning of the “devastating consequences” of the US failing to promote its commanders despite accusations of human rights abuses.
On August 28, 2024, the Israeli occupation began a military operation in the West Bank under the name “Summer Camps”, led by the Kfir Brigade with the participation of units from outside it, and described as “the most severe and harsh” since Operation Defensive Shield in 2002.
Establishment and objectives
The Kfir Brigade was founded in 2005 and is known as Brigade No. 900. It is one of the five largest infantry brigades in the Israeli army, and is directly subordinate to the Central Command. Its members wear camouflage berets and red boots.
According to the official website of the Israeli army, the Kfir Brigade was established in response to the need to combat what it called “Palestinian terrorism” in the West Bank.
The brigade’s battalions were stationed in both the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, but they withdrew from the Strip after the implementation of the disengagement plan in August 2005.
Structuring
The Kfir Brigade includes 6 independent combat battalions that existed before its establishment, then were combined under one brigade, in addition to two special units:
- Nachshon Battalion: Known as Battalion 90, it was named after the figure of Nachshon Ben Aminadav, who symbolizes courage in Jewish heritage. It was founded in November 1998 and operates in the cities of Tulkarm and Qalqilya.
- Samson Battalion: Known as Battalion No. 92, it bears the name of the biblical Samson, which symbolizes strength in Jewish heritage. It was founded in 1989 following the first Palestinian Intifada, and was dissolved in 1995, but was reconstituted in 1997. It operates in the city of Bethlehem and the settlements south of Jerusalem.
- Harouf Battalion: Known as Battalion No. 93, it is an extension of the Sayeret Harouf unit, which was formed at the suggestion of former Chief of Staff Yitzhak Rabin in 1966 to specialize in security operations on the border with Jordan. It was then re-established in 1995, and operates in Nablus.
- Dushifat Battalion: Known as Battalion No. 94, it is described as an extension of a reconnaissance unit that was dissolved after the October 1973 War. It was re-established in 1992 to specialize in confronting tanks. It operates in the Ramallah area.
- Lavi Battalion: Known as Battalion No. 96, it was established in the late 1990s as part of the Israeli army’s efforts to adapt the specialization and familiarity of its battalions to different terrains. It operates in the Hebron area.
- Netzah Yehuda Battalion: Known as Battalion No. 97, it was founded in 1999 with the support of a group of Haredi rabbis. It aims to integrate the youth of this sect into the Israeli army and society without compromising their religious traditions. It operates in Jenin and the northern West Bank.
- Syrt Oketz Unit: A special unit for dogs.
- Syrt Lothar Unit: A special unit concerned with “counter-terrorism”.
Recruitment and Training
The Kfir Brigade’s combat missions include guerrilla warfare, urban warfare, confrontation in complex areas, preempting and thwarting Palestinian resistance operations, in addition to setting up checkpoints and carrying out arrests.
In order for soldiers to be accepted into the Kfir Brigade, they must complete 8 months of combat training, the first four months of which are devoted to basic training, physical fitness, and the use of various weapons, in addition to strengthening discipline.
The second half of this period focuses on advanced training, urban warfare, and chemical warfare, while the brigade’s soldiers’ training includes receiving lessons in the Arabic language.
Under a plan announced by former Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi in 2020, the Kfir Brigade became one of the largest brigades in the Israeli army, alongside the Golani Brigade, the Givati Brigade, and the Nahal Brigade.
New training has been added to the brigade with the aim of making it “more lethal.” According to the Israeli army, these trainings are based on the behavior of the Lebanese Hezbollah and simulate facing challenges in wars on the northern front.
A long record of violations
Since its establishment, the Kfir Brigade has had a long record of violations against Palestinian citizens in the West Bank, to the point that the Israeli newspaper Haaretz described some of its battalions as violent and extremist.
In the Gaza Strip, the brigade participated in the war that followed Operation Flood of Al-Aqsa, and among the violations committed by its units was the storming of Mahdiya Al-Shawa School in the northern Gaza Strip on April 16, 2024, and forcing the detained men to take off their clothes.
Despite the proven involvement of the brigade’s soldiers in war crimes and human rights violations, especially the Netzah Yehuda Battalion, which makes it subject to US sanctions, the United States has not taken any action against the Kfir Brigade and has not prevented any of its battalions from providing military aid to the Israeli army.
According to an investigation by the American network “CNN”, American officials consider the continued promotion of former leaders in the Kfir Brigade despite their accusations of human rights violations to be a matter of concern and a result of US inaction, and they warned that it could have devastating consequences.
Summer Camps Operation
On August 28, 2024, the Kfir Brigade led the “Summer Camps” operation launched by the Israeli occupation army in the West Bank, with the participation of Border Guard battalions, undercover units, and military engineering.
This operation includes the Jenin, Tulkarm and Tubas camps and extended to Hebron, Nablus and Jerusalem, and was described as the most severe and harshest since Operation Defensive Shield in 2002.
Commenting on the operation, Israeli Foreign Minister Yisrael Katz called for a temporary evacuation of the population there, and for any other necessary steps to be taken.
As for the Palestinian resistance factions, they announced that they would confront the operation that resulted in the martyrdom of a number of Palestinians, including the commander of the Tulkarm Battalion, Muhammad Jaber, nicknamed Abu Shuja’a, and stressed that the assassination “will not eradicate the resistance in the occupied West Bank.”