Soldiers from the Givati Brigade's Tzabar battalion said Thursday that their battalion commander broke signboards that are part of the company's tradition, calling the act destructive. A video circulating shows the commander breaking the boards, according to reports.
The controversy at the Sde Teiman base escalated Thursday afternoon as soldiers from the Givati Brigade's Tzabar battalion released a statement and video identifying their battalion commander as the officer who broke unit tradition signboards. The soldiers called the act a severe breach of the company's tradition, stating that "after everything we've been through, the small thing that gives us strength, pride and a smile, was destroyed." The video circulating on social media shows the commander breaking the boards.
The incident first emerged at 14:34 Jerusalem, when the IDF Spokesperson confirmed that several soldiers had left the base without authorization after the commander removed signs associated with the "old young" tradition. Within minutes, soldiers published a detailed account describing the signs as symbols of unit heritage carried through campaigns in Gaza and Lebanon. Documentation confirmed that Givati memorial signs had been smashed, and a dispute arose over whether the signs were memorials for fallen comrades or tradition markers. As of Thursday afternoon, reports indicated that none of the soldiers had returned to base.
The Tzabar battalion is an infantry unit within the Givati Brigade, which has seen extensive combat in recent operations. The Sde Teiman base has previously been the site of disciplinary incidents, including a protest by soldiers over command treatment, as The Zioneer reported on Thursday.
The IDF has not yet commented on the latest statement from the soldiers. The military's investigation into the incident is ongoing, and the soldiers' status remains unresolved.
18 developments
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- StrongReserve Colonel Yoni Shtabon slams Givati soldiers for abandoning Sde Teiman base
- DevelopingReport: Weapons of Sabra fighters abandoned at Sde Teiman base
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