All of the soldiers of the Givati Brigade’s Tzabar Battalion who abandoned their base earlier, aside from one platoon, have returned, according to the military.
In all, around 100 soldiers deserted the Sde Teiman base en masse following an argument with their commander.
The military says the troops who led the desertion will be sentenced by the commander of the brigade, Col. Netanel Shamaka.
The soldiers from the platoon who have not returned are expected to be declared AWOL and will be handled by the Military Police. A platoon comprises 30 to 40 soldiers.
Regarding the battalion commander who took down decorative signs the troops had put up, leading to the desertion, the military says it supports his conduct, as the signs contained materials meant to disparage rookie soldiers.
Meanwhile, Shamaka and his commander, 162nd Division commander Brig. Gen. Sagiv Dahan, arrived at Sde Teiman to speak with the soldiers regarding the incident.
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From the Liveblog of
Thursday, July 30, 2026
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