Last update - 00:00 21/08/2007
IDF to probe commander's alleged abuse of troops
By Yuval Azoulay, Haaretz Correspondent
The Military Advocate General (MAG) Monday ordered an investigation into allegations that a platoon commander had abused his troops.
One of the accusations levelled at the staff sergeant was that he ordered a soldier to put gravel in his underpants and rub it in "to simulate the pain of a wound."
The staff sergeant was sentenced by his commander to 28 days in prison for inappropriate behavior. Another 28-day sentence against him for violence was annuled following the decision to open a Military Police probe into the affair.
A military spokesman said Monday that the staff sergeant's behavior was antithetical to the IDF's spirit, its values and the chief of staff's commands, saying the IDF will take action to uproot such behavior wherever it occurs.
The spokesman said the army condemned any soldier who resorted to violence or abuse, and more so in the case of a commander abusing his authority over his troops.
The affair has brought down morale in the Golani regiment, which plays a vital role in Israel Defense Forces operations in the Gaza Strip.