Refusal phenomenon growing in IDF

KISSUFIM CROSSING, Gaza Strip – A wave of military insubordination continued Saturday night, as 12 soldiers were arrested for refusing to participate in closing a Gaza Strip bording crossing and stop hundreds of settlers who arrive to try and break a closure the IDF imposed on the territory ahead of Israel's pullout in August. Eight people were injured during clashes between security forces and some 400 settlers at the Kissufim crossing, including a police officer and IDF soldier. Forces arrested 12 troops who refused to help dispurse the crowd. Three apologized later. IDF sources say most of the insubordinate soldiers are graduates of hesder yeshivas. Army Chief Dan Halutz later disbanded the 120-member company the soldiers belongs to and said the group would be tried in a military court for their insubordination. The incident marked the latest in a series of occurences where soldiers have refused orders to take part in operations regarding Israel's planned pullout from Gaza, set for August. A Border Police officer who refused to help security forces contain an anti-Gaza pullout protest was sentenced Thursday to a week in incarceration. Read a selection of Ynetnews' coverage of insubordination in the IDF Air Force pullout objector dismissed Leading rabbi supports insubordination Religious soldiers slam insubordination Anti-pullout soldier's sentence annulled Students say 'no' to insubordination Insubordinate troops sent to prison Warning to the army Jewish ultranationalists oppose Israel's plan to evacuate all 21 settlements from Gaza and four of 120 in the West Bank in August, claiming the land as their biblical birthright and saying a withdrawal would reward Palestinian terrorism. One IDF officer told Ynet the incident should serve as a warning to the army to work with greater vigor against rabbis and yeshiva heads, some of whom have told their students to try and scuttle the withdrawal. "Apparently the messages we have tried to get across (to Orthodox soldiers) has not been sufficient. If we don't react strongly, the phenomenon is going to keep growing." The source also said the latest incident was particularly damaging because soldiers refused orders in full view of their comrades, and was interpreted as a victory for the settlers.

Refusal phenomenon growing in IDF

12 soldiers arrested for refusing to evacuate crowd of settlers who arrive at Gaza border to protest closure; officers warn phenomenon could get out of hand