Full Breakdown
Mass Walkout at Sde Teiman Base Leads to Dismissals and Jail Sentences
8/1/2026, 8:31:33 PM
Core Event
On July 30, 2026, roughly 100 infantry soldiers from the Givati Brigade’s Tzabar Battalion left the Sde Teiman base in Israel’s Negev Desert after their battalion commander ordered the removal and destruction of decorative signs that troops said were part of the unit’s tradition. The soldiers abandoned their weapons, marched out of the base while chanting an obscenity toward officers, and left behind a disorganized pile of firearms and the wreckage of the destroyed signs, including one that read “Kingdom of Devils.”
The brigade commander, Colonel Netanel Shamaka, gave the troops a deadline of 4 p.m. that day to return, warning that anyone who remained absent would be classified as absent without leave (AWOL) and reported to the Military Police. Most of the soldiers returned by evening, but a platoon of about 30–40 soldiers stayed away.
The following day, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced disciplinary measures: 14 soldiers who led the walkout received 30-day sentences in military jail and were permanently dismissed from combat duty. Approximately 80 soldiers who had left without permission but later returned were ordered to remain on base over the weekend for a “command and educational process” aimed at reinforcing discipline and values. Two additional soldiers who returned overnight were to be sentenced later, and one soldier had not yet returned for sentencing.
Background & Context
He said the signs were removed because they disparaged rookie soldiers, not because they related to the battalion’s memorial corner or fallen comrades. Soldiers in the unit claimed the signs represented “company tradition,” and the removal sparked the protest.
Infantry units in the IDF have a documented history of hazing new recruits and of deserting en masse over alleged mistreatment by commanders, a pattern referenced by the military in its description of the incident.
Data & Statistics
- Approximate number of soldiers who left the base: about 100 (reported by multiple sources).
- Soldiers who returned later that day: around 80.
- Soldiers who remained absent after the 4 p.m. deadline: 30–40 (one platoon).
- Soldiers sentenced to 30-day jail terms and dismissed from combat duty: 14.
- Additional soldiers slated for sentencing: 2 (returned overnight).
- Soldiers still unaccounted for at the time of the announcement: 1.
Official Statements & Responses
- Brigadier General Sagiv Dahan, commander of the 162nd Division, visited the base with Colonel Shamaka to speak directly with the soldiers about the incident.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on the exact scale of the walkout:
- Some reports cite “approximately 100” soldiers abandoning the base.
- Other accounts refer to “dozens” of soldiers leaving.
- The number of soldiers who remained after the 4 p.m. deadline is given as “around 30–40” in one source, while another mentions “one platoon” without a precise headcount.
No public information has been provided about the identities of the two soldiers slated for later sentencing or the status of the soldier who had not yet returned.
What’s Next
The IDF indicated that the 80 soldiers who returned will undergo a weekend “command and educational process” at the base. No further disciplinary actions or operational deployments for the Tzabar Battalion have been announced beyond the sentencing of the 14 soldiers.
