Golani Brigade Commander Colonel Ofek Buchris tried four soldiers serving in the Brigade's 13th Battalion to various detention sentences Friday, for conduct unbecoming.
The four are part of a group of nine soldiers who politicized a course graduation ceremony, by taking off their uniform shirts and sporting T-shirts reading "Golani fights enemies, it doesn't expel Jews."
One of the soldiers was sentenced to 30 days in a military prison, two others will serve a 20-day sentence and the fourth an 18-day sentence. The remaining five will be tried next week.
The T-shirts (Photo: Samaria Settlements Council)
"One we learned of this incident an immediate inquiry was launched. The soldiers' conduct was unbecoming, it went against orders and they did not behave as we expect combat soldiers to behave, which is why they were tried," a military source said.
Their placement in Golani, he added, will be reviewed after they serve their sentence.
'Our sons were tricked'
Later on Friday, the soldiers' families claimed that their sons were innocent, and were "tricked" into wearing the shirts by publicists who wanted to exploit them.
In a letter addressed to IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz and Defense Minister Ehud Barak, the families claimed that "Golani Brigade Commander Colonel Ofek Buchris did not probe or question the soldiers, instead directly sending them to jail."
"Our sons have nothing to do with this travesty. We sent our sons to the IDF, we all come from combat units and slogans are not part of our way of life," the parents wrote.
"The soldiers received T-shirts with a Golani logo in the front. As it turns out, they were used by those who distributed the shirts, in order to advertise slogans that have nothing to do with their worldviews," it was written.
First published: 13:17, 06.24.11