Soldiers stage mass walk-out at southern IDF base after row with their commander — The Times of Israel

RESOLVING THE LEDGER

Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent

Dozens of infantry soldiers left behind their weapons and abandoned the IDF's Sde Teiman base in southern Israel on Thursday after their battalion commander destroyed decorative signs they had put up, the military said.

The mass walkout by troops from the Givati Brigade's Tzabar Battalion was "being investigated and handled by the commanders," the IDF said. "This is an incident that is inconsistent with the values of the IDF and with what is expected of its soldiers."

Footage posted online showed the soldiers marching out of the base while chanting an obscenity against officers. Other footage from the base showed a disorganized mount of guns left behind by the soldiers, and the wreckage of the removed signs, including one with a hellish motif that read "Kingdom of Devils."

The soldiers claimed the signs were "part of our company's tradition." According to the army, the signs contained materials meant to disparage rookie soldiers.

Infantry soldiers in the IDF have a history of hazing new recruits and of deserting en masse over alleged mistreatment by commanders.

The Givati soldiers' commander gave them until 4 p.m. to return to Sde Teiman or face punishment. The names of soldiers who failed to show up would be forwarded to the Military Police for further handling, the officer said in a message to the troops.

"At exactly 16:00, there will be a check in the company to see who has remained/returned," read the message. "Anyone who has not returned by 16:00 will be immediately classified as AWOL."

שוב מרד בחטיבת גבעתי: הורים ללוחמים מגדוד שקד שיצאו מלבנון בימים האחרונים טוענים כי הם החליטו על מרד והניחו את נשקם לאחר שהמג"ד הורה להרוס להם את פינות הזיכרון של הגדוד ודגלים וזכרונות שלהם @ela1949 pic.twitter.com/J7WLkcjkuG

A senior military official later said, "A large number of the soldiers have already returned, and many of them are back at the base." The unit would hold a roll call imminently "to get a complete picture of the situation and determine the exact numbers," the official said.

In a missive to troops, the commander of the Givati Brigade, Col. Netanel Shamaka, said: "During the war, you proved your commitment to the mission. You fought bravely, risked your lives across all combat sectors."

"Precisely out of this deep appreciation and gratitude, the disciplinary incident that recently took place in the Tzabar Battalion is a grave event that has no place in the IDF in general, nor in the Givati Brigade in particular," Shamaka wrote of the walk-out.

"In the IDF, there is no place for damage to discipline, the authority of commanders, or the fundamental norms upon which our fighting force relies. The incident will be handled with utmost seriousness by the commanders. It will be dealt with out of responsibility and care for the soldiers, but also out of a commitment to set a clear, uncompromising standard," he added.

The war with Iran has been draining for all of us in Israel. But when I heard about a high casualty incident – ballistic missile impacts in Arad and Dimona that left nearly 200 people wounded – I drank a cup of coffee, packed a bag, and headed south.

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Soldiers stage mass walk-out at southern IDF base after row with their commander — The Times of Israel | AIPROPX