The soldiers fled a southern basic training base Thursday without authorization in protest of the food shortage.
“It reached a point where they were given bananas and
cucumbers for lunch,” one concerned mother told Ynet.
“It’s a disgrace.”
The soldiers hopped over the fence, ran two kilometers to the main highway and made their way home.
A perfect example
A senior IDF officer told Ynet Sunday that the base's mess was well stocked with food to feed the entire unit, despite preparations and cleaning for Pesach (Passover).
He said the soldiers’ claims are false and their behavior is “extremely provocative."
“They behaved liked hooligans - they overturned tables, cursed the officers,
blocked the main road to the Nitzan settlement near the base, threw stones and refused to talk to the base commander,” the officer said.
He said that on Thursday the base commander sat and had lunch with the rest of the soldiers and ate exactly what everyone else was served with.
“The commander spread chocolate spread on his matzah, and I think it’s an example for everyone,” he said.