Israeli military makes major strategic adjustment

(MENAFN) On Monday evening, the Israeli military made a major strategic adjustment by relocating three battalions that were scheduled to be deployed to the Gaza Strip. Instead, these battalions have been reassigned to the Beit Lid military base, situated in central Israel. This shift comes in the wake of violent protests led by right-wing demonstrators, who are expressing strong opposition to the arrest of soldiers accused of sexually assaulting a Palestinian prisoner from Gaza.

The scene at the Beit Lid base has turned chaotic, with a large number of right-wing protesters breaking into the base and its military court, which houses the accused soldiers. These actions have caused significant disruption and led to violent confrontations between the demonstrators and security forces.

Israeli media reports indicate that the military has moved two battalions from the elite Nahal Brigade and one battalion from the 401st Armoured Brigade to Beit Lid. These units had initially been scheduled to be deployed to Gaza in the near future. The redeployment was made to address the escalating unrest and secure the base.

Hebrew Channel 12 reported that the primary objective of moving the battalions to Beit Lid is to bolster the base’s defenses amidst the ongoing protests. According to Army Radio, the military command has also decided to withdraw forces from the West Bank to reinforce protection at the Beit Lid camp.

The protests began earlier at the Sde Timan military camp in southern Israel, where demonstrators were rallying against the arrest of ten reservists accused of assaulting a Palestinian prisoner. The situation deteriorated further when armed, masked individuals, including Knesset members and ministers, breached the Beit Lid base and the military court. This led to intense clashes with military police and security personnel, as detailed by the Hebrew newspaper Haaretz.

The unrest highlights the deepening divisions within Israeli society over the handling of the case and broader issues related to the Gaza conflict, reflecting heightened tensions and conflicting perspectives on the situation.

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