Dozens of protesters stormed two Israeli army bases on Monday, demanding the release of nine reservists detained as part of an investigation into alleged “substantial abuses” against a Palestinian detainee.
Earlier on Monday morning, the Israeli army announced the arrest of nine soldiers stationed at the Sde Teiman detention center, located in the Negev Desert in southern Israel.
An army spokesperson confirmed to AFP that the nine soldiers had been “detained for questioning” in connection with this case.
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According to several Israeli media outlets, other soldiers stationed at the base used pepper spray against the military police who arrived Monday morning to arrest the reservists.
Following the announcement of the arrests, dozens of protesters, including far-right members of the Knesset, -the Israeli Parliament, – repeatedly tried to break into Sde Teiman in the afternoon. After several failed attempts, they managed to enter the base and remained there for several hours before being evacuated by security forces.
Meanwhile, other far-right protesters entered a second facility, the Beit Lid military base north of Tel Aviv, on Monday. This is where the nine reservists had been taken for questioning. The Israeli police announced that they had relocated the protesters a few hours later.
Ben Gvir in the Crosshairs
The Chief of Staff of the Israeli army, Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi, immediately condemned the intrusion at Sde Teiman, describing it as an “extremely serious and illegal” situation.
“We are in the midst of a war, and such actions jeopardize the security of the state,” he added.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stated that the investigation into the reservists’ alleged abuses must proceed without obstruction. “Even in times of anger, the law applies to everyone,” he asserted.
On Tuesday morning, he released a letter addressed to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calling for an investigation into the role of National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, a far-right Israeli figure. Ben Gvir is reported to have instructed the police not to stop the protesters from occupying the two bases.
I urge you to take firm action against coalition members involved in the unrest and to order an investigation to determine whether the National Security Minister obstructed or delayed the police response to the violent incidents involving members of his party,” wrote Gallant.
Political Backlash
From a political standpoint, former defense minister and opposition member Benny Gantz called for restraint in a statement on Tuesday, criticizing Prime Minister Netanyahu for his delayed condemnation of the riots at the bases.
“Mr. Prime Minister, once again, you were unaware and you did not listen. Netanyahu, silence is lewd. In times of crisis, silence is neither leadership nor responsible,” he said.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday morning, Israeli President Isaac Herzog, condemned the rioters for disrupting the Israeli army’s operations “during one of the most challenging week security wise.”
“We should not place additional burdens on our soldiers and commanders. Instead, we should support the Israeli army and its leaders, and safeguard ourselves against actions that only serve our enemies,” he said.
According to the lawyers representing the nine reservists, they were extensively interrogated by military investigators and held in custody from Monday night through Tuesday morning. A hearing is scheduled for Tuesday afternoon at the military court.
Additionally, the Israeli army announced on Tuesday that it had set up a roadblock on the route leading to the Beit Lid base. It also installed a fence at the entrance to the military court where the rioters had breached the premise the previous night.
