According to a report by Walla, a Givati Brigade battalion commander held a ceremony before soldiers went home. When veteran soldiers tried to prevent him from opening a container, he insisted and found unit symbols and signs, which he then destroyed with a hammer. Senior military officials defended the commander, citing his combat record and service.
A Givati Brigade battalion commander destroyed unit symbols and signs with a hammer during a ceremony held before soldiers were sent home, according to a report by Walla published Thursday evening. The incident began when veteran soldiers tried to prevent the commander from opening a container; inside he found signs, veteran symbols, and tools for a 'Pazam' game — a ceremony that violates orders between veteran and young soldiers. The commander then destroyed the items with a hammer. Senior military officials defended the commander, citing his combat record, including service on October 7, and describing him as an excellent officer who has barely seen his home in three years of war. A separate military source from the 162nd Division praised his courage, saying, 'I wish the senior command had his courage to command.' The soldiers are expected to return to the unit and be heard.
Earlier Thursday, soldiers from the unit published a series of statements. At 15:29 Jerusalem, initial reports said the battalion commander and other officers broke wooden signs that are part of the company's tradition during a container inspection. A subsequent full statement from the soldiers condemned the destruction, saying it damages morale. A third statement, also at 15:29, declared: 'When you break the symbols, you break the spirit.' The soldiers, who served in Gaza and Lebanon, described the signs as symbols of company spirit and heritage. The evolution of the statements shows the soldiers' growing resolve, while the Walla report provides the first detailed account of the commander's actions and the subsequent defense by senior officers.
As The Zioneer reported earlier Thursday, a similar incident occurred at the Sde Teiman base, where a battalion commander broke signs prepared by fighters, leading to a protest and soldiers returning their equipment. That context highlights the broader sensitivity surrounding unit traditions and commanders' authority in the IDF.
What remains open: The soldiers' return to the unit and the hearing process have not yet concluded. The outcome of the internal proceedings and any further disciplinary measures are not known at this time.
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