Pilot assaulted by three soldiers on air force base

Three soldiers assaulted a pilot in the family compound of the Ramat David air force base, after he told them they were driving recklessly, Yedioth Ahronoth reported on Monday morning. The IDF said the incident was being investigated by the military police.

On Saturday the pilot, who holds the rank of major and is the deputy commander of a combat squadron, took his three children to play basketball at the base’s court. While walking, the pilot saw three soldiers recklessly driving a military vehicle and told them to stop. The three didn’t heed his call, and the pilot alerted their commanding officer by phone, leading the three to swear at him and threaten him and his family.

According to the report, the soldiers told him they knew who he was and where to find him. “We’ll get to you,” the three told the pilot before their commanding officer arrived and removed them from the area.

Shortly afterwards the soldiers evaded their commander and returned to the family barracks — armed with clubs. The three found the pilot and beat him with the clubs, kicked him and punched him repeatedly.

It took the physical intervention of a number of passersby to restrain the men and end the incident.

The three soldiers were arrested by the military police. In their investigation they claimed the pilot had offended them.

The pilot was treated at the base infirmary and released.

“Officers and their families are in shock,” a source on the base told Yedioth. It’s hard to believe that “soldiers dared to assault a superior officer and deputy squadron commander,” he said. “They crossed a red line. We saw the evil in their eyes.”

The IDF spokesperson said military police were investigating the incident.