Yedioth Ahronoth discovers an open, unsecured IDF base
A Yedioth Ahronoth reporter found an IDF base which is completely exposed and can be entered by anyone; the reporter entered, walked around for an hour, took a photo next to a brigade commander's office, and wasn't even asked to explain his presence.
A Yedioth Ahronoth journalist entered an IDF base without identifying himself, walked around freely for an hour, and was even exposed to sensitive information. He managed to take a number of photographs while inside, with no one bothering to stop him or ask what why he was there.
Last Wednesday, at 10:30am, the reporter came in his private vehicle, wearing civilian clothing, to the IDF's Camp Lipkin near the town of Kfar Bilu in central Israel, not far from the city of Rehovot. The base houses the headquarters of the 98th division—also known as the Fire Formation—which comprises the Paratroopers Brigade, the Commando Brigade, and the 55th and 551st reservist brigades.
While the base's main gate is guarded by soldiers who check entering vehicles and on-foot visitors, not far from it is an open side-gate through which people are able to enter freely. It turns out this gate opens each time a new group of IDF reservists arrive enabling them to park their vehicles inside the base. Nevertheless, no soldiers are stationed at the gate to ensure that only those permitted can enter. "This isn't the first time," said A., a combat reservist in one of the division's units. "No one checks who you are. It's simply a disgrace, and everyone in the unit knows it. All you need to do is rearrange the fence so that parking will be outside the base."
After Yedioth's reporter parked inside, he began wandering around freely without anyone so much as batting an eye. "I walked around the armament tents, where they took care of military vehicles, and went by the various units' emergency supply storage spaces, some of which were open," the reporter said. "I saw ammunition, APCs, cannons, communications equipment, and more. Later on, I entered the convenience store. Here too, no one bothered to find out who I was or what I was doing on the base. When I asked the soldiers if they were worried about unwanted parties infiltrating the base, they answered, smiling, 'This isn't a base you come to for guard duty.'"
After 50 minutes of peaceful wandering, a civilian vehicle stopped next to the reporter. The IDF non-commissioned officer inside asked, "I see you're walking around, are you looking for something?" "The memorial room," answered the reporter, who happened to see the room nearby moments earlier. The NCO pointed at the place, and drove away. The reporter continued to walk around, reaching the door to one of the brigade commander's offices. It was open, and a meeting taking place inside could be heard.
When he decided to leave, the reporter saw that the gate through which he entered was locked. "I went to the (guard) at the main gate and asked for the key," he said. "He instructed me to leave my driver's license and gave me the key, I opened the gate, gave back the key, and drove away."
G., a soldier serving on the base, said the side gate is supposed to be closed as well. "No one has the (patience) to sit at the entrance to the second (gate), so they just leave it open, and anyone who wants to can enter. A terrorist could get a car-bomb in here or start shooting all over, and it could end in a big disaster. Our division is one of the most secretive in the IDF. A person who enters the base like that can photograph sensitive installations, and steal documents or computers. I hope procedures will change. There cannot be wantonness in such a sensitive place."
When the IDF Spokesperson's unit was informed of the information compiled during the report, the following response was proveded: "The security problem at the camp's gate has been examined and properly treated. The gate in question has been closed, and security procedures will be reinforced."
