Dozens of Israeli soldiers reportedly walked out of the Sde Teiman military base in southern Israel following a dispute with senior officers over the removal and destruction of symbols associated with their unit.
The soldiers belong to the Givati Brigade’s Sabar Battalion, according to the Jerusalem Post. The disagreement began after brigade commanders ordered the removal of displays and emblems erected by companies within the battalion.
Sources in the brigade said commanders insisted that the order be carried out despite objections from soldiers. One soldier told the Israeli news site Walla that an officer used a five-kilogram hammer to smash one of the symbols.
The two sides were unable to reach an agreement, prompting dozens of soldiers to leave their unit and walk out of the military base, the report said. The Israeli military is reportedly investigating the incident.
Sde Teiman, located in Israel’s Negev desert, has faced intense scrutiny since the start of the Gaza war over allegations of abuse involving Palestinians detained at the facility.
Reports by Palestinian and Israeli media outlets, as well as human rights organisations, have documented allegations of beatings, prolonged restraints, medical neglect and deaths in custody. Some critics have compared the detention facility to the US military prison at Guantanamo Bay.