Channel 14 on Thursday evening reported that fighters from the Givati Brigade's Sabra battalion laid down their weapons and abandoned the Sde Teiman base, describing the incident as a 'rebellion' in the IDF. The report echoes an earlier N13/Army Radio report from 14:46 that the weapons of Sabra fighters were abandoned at the base.
Channel 14 this evening (Thursday) reported that fighters from the Givati Brigade's Sabra battalion laid down their weapons and abandoned the Sde Teiman base, describing the incident as a 'rebellion' in the IDF. The characterization marks a significant escalation in the framing of the event, which earlier in the day had been reported as a case of abandoned equipment.
At approximately 14:15 Jerusalem, initial reports indicated that fighters had left their weapons at a military base, without specifying the unit or location. Within the same hour, N12 published a photo confirming the abandoned equipment, and by 14:46, N13/Army Radio identified the weapons as belonging to the Sabra battalion. Later, at 15:23, Reserve Colonel Yoni Shtabon criticized the soldiers, calling their actions a 'disgrace.' At 15:43, a soldier who led the protest recounted the confrontation with the battalion commander, stating that the commander broke signs the fighters had prepared, leading to an ultimatum and the soldiers' decision to return their equipment and leave. The IDF updated at 19:48 that all soldiers except one platoon had returned to base and expressed backing for the battalion commanders. A senior IDF official told YinonNews at 20:16 that over 80% of the absentees had returned and that the incident would be handled through disciplinary measures.
The Givati Brigade recently completed an eight-month operation in southern Lebanon, as The Zioneer reported on July 2, with the Northern Command chief praising the unit's impact on the security reality. The current incident, however, stems from an internal dispute within the battalion over issues of tradition and discipline.
It remains unclear how many soldiers initially left the base, what specific disciplinary steps will be taken, and the status of the remaining platoon that has not yet returned.
3 developments
- StrongSabra battalion soldier who led Sde Teiman rebellion recounts confrontation with commander
- StrongIDF updates on Givati Brigade: all soldiers except one platoon return to base, commanders backed
- StrongReserve Colonel Yoni Shtabon slams Givati soldiers for abandoning Sde Teiman base
- StrongSenior IDF official: Over 80% of Sde Teiman absentees return to base, disciplinary action to follow
Source and signal
- Open-source intake