A YouTube video clip, which was released by a Palestinian organization portraying an Israel Defense Force (IDF) officer hitting an activist in the face with his rifle, raised fury among left-wing activists in Israel after its upload on Sunday.

The video was filmed Saturday during a biking protest, which was attended by over 200 participants, at the Jordan Valley staged by the Palestinian NGO International Solidarity Movement.

In the short film, a man who was identified by local media as Lt.-Col. Shalom Eisner, can be seen hitting a foreign activist with his M-16 rifle in the face after exchanging a few words with him.

Later, the video shows soldiers pushing other activists and arresting two of them.

"We do find it a very severe incident and an investigation has been started into this matter," the IDF spokespersons unit told Xinhua.

"The inquiry will examine the circumstances which led to the incident documented in the video. Lessons will be drawn and the necessary steps will be taken," read an IDF press release.