Paratroopers commander reprimanded for humiliating treatment of subordinates

The commander of the Paratroopers Brigade, Col. Ami Biton, has been reprimanded by Central Command head Maj. Gen. Avi Bluth for treating subordinates in a humiliating way.

Several reserve officers in the brigade had, between November 2023 and March 2024, filed letters to Biton’s former superior Maj. Gen. Dan Goldfus — who commanded the 98th Division — complaining about Biton’s conduct amid the war. The letters alleged that Biton’s involvement in his forces’ combat engagements was limited, that he unnecessarily risked the lives of his soldiers, that he treated his subordinates in a humiliating way, and that he spent a significant amount of time alongside female soldiers and officers.

Complaints about Biton’s conduct since the beginning of the war were investigated by Brig. Gen. Gal Shuchami, a senior officer from the Armored Corps who did not serve with the paratroopers commander at any point. Shuchami spoke with dozens of Biton’s subordinates from the Paratroopers Brigade and from other roles he filled, as well as with several of his former commanders, and with Biton himself. Bluth, meanwhile, met with the reserve officers who wrote the letters and with Biton.

The investigation found that there was no criminal behavior by Biton, and that the claims that he unnecessarily risked the lives of his soldiers, was not sufficiently engaged in the fighting, and gave women preferential treatment were unfounded. However, the probe did find that Biton acted in a discriminatory way toward his subordinate officers, in a way that humiliated them. The probe also found that after Goldfus spoke with Biton in May about the allegations, his behavior improved.

After weighing the investigation by Shuchami, and Biton’s work as the head of the brigade during operations in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria, as well as other letters written in support of the commander, Bluth decided to reprimand him.

The reprimand will go on Biton’s permanent record.