An unusual and serious incident occurred in the Israel Defense Forces on Thursday, when dozens of soldiers and commanders from Givati Brigade's Tsavar Battalion left the Sde Teiman base without authorization, becoming absent without leave (AWOL), according to information obtained by Israel Hayom. Preliminary figures indicate that more than 100 soldiers took part in the move, which appeared to have been relatively coordinated.
According to available details, the decision followed a heated incident involving the battalion commander, who broke the soldiers' "pugim," metal or wooden boards bearing morale-boosting slogans associated with individual platoons and companies. Some of the soldiers viewed the act as a direct affront to the unit's spirit and identity.
Following the incident, the soldiers and commanders decided to leave the base with only their personal belongings, without weapons or other military equipment. According to eyewitness accounts, many of them headed home.
One commander at the scene was heard telling the soldiers: "Everyone here knows the consequences of what he is about to do. We are going together now, as a battalion. I am proud of every single person here for what he is doing right now. There are new soldiers here who do not know what the consequences are, but none of that matters. Being absent without leave, going to prison, none of that matters."
The IDF initially issued no official response to the incident, which is considered one of the most unusual disciplinary and cohesion-related events recorded in combat units in recent months.
The IDF Spokesperson's Unit later said: "A short time ago, a number of soldiers in a combat battalion began leaving their base without their commanders' permission. This followed the battalion commander's decision to remove signs connected to irregular incidents involving the battalion's tradition of hazing and distinctions between junior and veteran soldiers. The incident is being investigated and addressed by the commanders. This is an incident that is inconsistent with the values of the IDF and with what is expected of its soldiers."
