The soldier who led the protest at the Sde Teiman base told C14 that the confrontation began when the battalion commander broke signs the fighters had prepared. The commander then issued an ultimatum, prompting the soldiers to return their equipment to the armory and leave the base. The battalion commander separately sent a message to parents demanding soldiers return by 16:00 or face consequences.
The soldier who led the walkout at the Sde Teiman base gave a detailed account of the confrontation Thursday afternoon, describing how the battalion commander broke signs the fighters had prepared, prompting them to return their equipment to the armory and leave the base. Speaking to an Israeli media outlet, the soldier said additional soldiers later joined the protest. The account provides the first firsthand perspective from the protesters.
As The Zioneer reported earlier Thursday, at 14:34 Jerusalem, the commander of the Givati Brigade's Tzabar (Sabra) battalion set a 16:00 deadline for the absent soldiers, warning they would be reported as AWOL and risk losing their combatant status if they did not return. The commander also sent a message to parents, explaining he had broken wooden signs bearing the inscriptions "Satan" and "Angel of Death" as part of an effort to combat abusive unit traditions. At 14:46, reports identified the weapons left at the base as belonging to the Sabra unit.
The incident has drawn public commentary, with analyst Dor P. describing the commander's actions as provocative and harmful to morale, and calling on the soldiers to return to duty, as The Zioneer reported at 14:53 Jerusalem. The commander's message to parents emphasized that soldiers who returned by the deadline would face no punishment and be released for the weekend.
As of 15:43 Jerusalem, it remains unclear whether the soldiers have returned to base. The military police have not yet intervened, and the situation continues to develop. The soldier's account has not been independently verified, and the commander's perspective has been detailed in his own messages to parents.
18 developments
- StrongSde Teiman battalion commander sends message to parents: return by 16:00, no punishment
- StrongCommentator Dor P. releases full statement on Sde Teiman rebellion, quotes Ben-Gurion
- 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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