Over 100 soldiers from the Givati Brigade's Tzabar battalion went absent without leave Thursday afternoon, leaving their weapons at the Sde Teiman base, after the battalion commander broke the unit's morale plates ('pogim') in front of them, according to a report by Lidor Sultan. The soldiers left the base with personal belongings and drove home.
Thursday afternoon, over 100 soldiers from the Givati Brigade's Tzabar battalion went absent without leave from the Sde Teiman base, leaving their weapons behind. A report by journalist Lidor Sultan adds that the mass walkout followed the battalion commander breaking the unit's 'pogim' — metal morale plates — in front of the soldiers. The soldiers then left the base with personal belongings and drove home.
The incident unfolded Thursday afternoon. At 13:30 Jerusalem, initial reports indicated dozens of soldiers had left the base. The IDF confirmed shortly after that soldiers left without authorization after the battalion commander removed signs linked to a non-normative unit tradition. Later reports, including from Ynet and i24NEWS, placed the number at over 100 and specified that the commander had broken the morale plates. The IDF spokesperson stated the incident is under investigation and does not align with IDF values. The Zioneer had earlier reported the initial details of the mass AWOL.
The incident comes amid broader military personnel challenges. Earlier this month, The Zioneer reported on an IDF official warning of near-record draft evasion, and other incidents involving officer misconduct have surfaced. The military's ability to maintain discipline is under scrutiny.
The IDF investigation is ongoing. The specific disciplinary status of the soldiers and any further actions by the command remain unclear.
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