Stir crazy soldiers abandon their post on Mount Hermon

Soldiers say they feared humiliating treatment, severe lack of sleep might make them try to hurt themselves

Five soldiers from an anti-aircraft unit stationed on Mount Hermon abandoned their post at a remote guard tower and surrendered their weapons to their commander on Thusday, saying they feared they might turn them on themselves.

The soldiers had been punished by being sent to the position, which was meant to be manned by only two soldiers, and left there for 9 hours, Israel Radio reported, when one of them began to lose his cool. His comrades abandoned the post and handed their rifles over to their commander; he returned them, but only after removing the firing pin from them.

The soldiers complained of humiliating treatment from their platoon commander and a critical lack of sleep.

The IDF Spokesman’s Office said the case, if true, would be a serious deviation from army standards.