Soldier jailed, commanders penalized after IDF chief calls out ‘Messiah’ patch

By Emanuel Fabian

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13 May 2026, 9:30 pm

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Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent

IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir attends a Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee meeting at the Knesset in Jerusalem, May 10, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

During a visit to an army position in the West Bank today, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir called out a soldier for wearing a non-military patch bearing the word “Messiah.”

The soldier was then sentenced by his brigade commander to 30 days in military jail. His platoon commander received a suspended two-week sentence, and the battalion commander was censured.

Last month, Zamir told senior commanders that the military has seen eroding discipline in the multi-front war over recent years, citing the widespread non-military patches worn by soldiers.