Israeli woman poses with detainees

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A former IDF soldier poses with Palestinian prisoners in this image posted on her facebook account  

JERUSALEM, Aug. 17 (UPI) -- A young Israeli woman and former soldier caused a stir after she posted photos on Facebook posing with handcuffed and blindfolded Palestinian detainees.

Eden Abergil said the photos she posted on her profile page were taken during her compulsory military service and told Army Radio Tuesday she "doesn't understand what I did wrong."

The photos were widely circulated on the Internet before they were removed from the public forum of her Facebook page Monday, Israeli media reports said.

A statement issued by the Israel Army spokesman's office condemned Abergil's behavior.

"In light of the fact that she was discharged last year, all of the details have been turned over to commanders for further attention," the statement said.

"These cruel pictures reflect Israel's ongoing objectification of Palestinians and a complete disregard of their humanity and of their human rights and especially their right for privacy," said Ishai Menuchin, executive director of the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel.

Palestinian Authority spokesman Ghassan Khatib told al-Arabiya the photos "show the mentality of the occupier, to be proud of humiliating Palestinians. The occupation is unjust, immoral and, as these pictures show, corrupting."

In one of the photos Abergil is seen sitting cross-legged on a cement block glancing at a Palestinian detainee who is blindfolded and handcuffed. Another shows her smiling beside two handcuffed and blindfolded Palestinian detainees.

Abergil told Yedioth Ahronoth that since the photos were published she has received a number of death threats.