Storm at IDF base in Northern Brigade in Gaza Strip: The rabbi of the Yiftach Brigade closed the "lounge" on the base, the only place with a refrigerator and kettle, after soldiers cooked meat there on Shabbat.
The message written by the rabbi stated: "The lounge is closed until further notice, due to kosher malfunctions (cooking on Shabbat and introducing meat food.) The lounge will reopen after training, investigation and clarification.".
According to a report in Kan News, the reserve soldiers at the base claim that instead of sanitizing the place, the rabbi chose collective punishment.
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""I'm in the middle of a cold before a tour, and I haven't even had a way to make coffee or tea for two days," a reservist told Kan News. "The amazing part is that this is following an incident that happened (supposedly) before my battalion was here. They could have immediately prepared the place. Instead, they hung a scare sign - and it's been closed ever since. Why? Just to scare. The rabbi didn't even bother to respond to the message we sent him.
""Hundreds of days on reserve aren't enough, we have to deal with that too. For two days now, they've closed the only place with hot drinking water. It's 4:00 in the morning, the coldest, and we have no way to make a hot drink. Not to mention the safety of operational driving in the middle of the night without coffee. The 'investigation' has been going on for several days, maybe they'll set up a state investigation committee for this.".
The IDF Spokesperson's Office said in response: "The fighters are entitled to receive the same response in an alternative manner in the dining room. After repeated conduct contrary to orders, it was decided to close the 'lounge' for two weeks and submit a unit investigation into the matter in accordance with army orders.".
