A group of soldiers returning from the Gaza and Lebanon fronts in the Israeli army defied their commander's order and left their base. Dozens of soldiers from the Tzabar battalion of the Givati Brigade, stationed at the Sde Teiman base in the Negev Desert, left the base without permission.
According to Yedioth Ahronot newspaper, the incident erupted after the battalion commander ordered the removal of a memorial corner containing flags and symbols from the battles the soldiers had participated in. The soldiers reacted to this order with chants of 'all officers to hell'.
KAN television reported that the incident began after an intervention in a memorial corner that soldiers who had just returned from Lebanon had created for their fallen comrades. The soldiers laid down their weapons in protest and left the base.
The Israeli army confirmed that soldiers from a combat battalion left the base without permission after the commander decided to remove the signs. The army reportedly gave the soldiers who left en masse until 4:00 p.m. local time to return.
The Sde Teiman base is known as the main deployment point for the Tzabar battalion, which has taken part in operations in Gaza and Lebanon. The base has also been in the spotlight over allegations of severe violations against Palestinians detained in Gaza and has been referred to as 'Israel's Guantanamo'.