5 Tamuz 5774
IDF imprisons soldiers for taking part in online calls for 'revenge'
The IDF has sent four soldiers to prison on Thursday for taking part in a Facebook campaign calling for "revenge" for the kidnap and murder of three Israeli teenagers by Palestinian terrorists last month.
The soldiers will be behind bars for several days, the army said, as they acted "in violation of military orders. This is a severe incident, that does not in any way match expectations of IDF soldiers," the army added. All commanders have been instructed to act firmly against soldiers found taking part in social media "revenge campaigns." On Wednesday, the IDF Spokesman’s Office condemned soldiers who published photographs of themselves with signs calling for revenge against Arabs.
Commanders have been instructed to seek out and punish any soldiers found to be involved, the office said. Soldiers involved in “sending racist photographs and calls to harm innocent people” have taken part in a “severe incident” that is out of line with what the military expects of them.
A different report says, "The soldiers, who were all members of the Netzah Yehuda (Nahal Hareidi) Battalion of the Kfir Brigade, were judged and sentenced by the battalion's deputy commander to ten days of detention for a "violation of discipline."
Two of the four posted a picture of themselves standing behind a sheet of paper with a message that said "Bibi, let us eliminate the terrorists,"....
Justice Minister Tsipi Livni has reportedly opened a "hotline" whereby the public can turn informer and report anyone who is "inciting to racism."
