Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu (Otzma Yehudit), Likud MK Nissim Vaturi, and Otzma Yehudit MK Tzvi Sukkot were summoned by the police for questioning under caution regarding their regarding their break-in into the Sde Teiman base nine months ago.

In addition, Deputy Minister Almog Cohen (Otzma Yehudit) will be summoned to give testimony regarding his statements on the matter.

On July 29, 2024, masked military police raided the Sdei Teiman base and arrested nine reservists for the alleged abuse of a Nukhba terrorist. The main charge of sodomy was later proven to be completely unfounded but not before the public arrest caused untold damage to Israel.

Last month, two of the suspects filed a libel suit against Channel 12 journalist Guy Peleg for NIS 1.5 million for airing a report claiming false allegations against them that has seen been disproven. In addition, they brought a lawsuit against Channel 12 for publishing the report.

In the wake of the arrest, a crowd of protesters gathered at the Sde Teiman and Beit Lid bases to protest, some of whom breached the gates of the bases, including the three government members.

MK Zvi Sukkot responded by stating. “Those who should receive a summons and be investigated are the head of the investigation team and the Military Advocate General, who are responsible for besmirching the face of Israel and IDF soldiers around the world, despite the fact that there was no evidence of sodomy by the soldiers. We will be here and everywhere as needed to protect the rights of our soldiers. No political investigation will prevent us from doing our job.”

MK Vaturi announced that he does not intend to appear for questioning: “I do not recognize the authority of the Attorney General and I will use my immunity.” He added: “Gali, I remind you again – do not contact me until you summon  Yair Golan, Naama Lazimi, Ehud Barak, Dan Halutz, Bogie Ya’alon, Kassif, and Bressler for questioning.”

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir responded: “Gali Baharav-Miara’s weekly wave of political investigations is a continuation of the criminal activity of an Attorney General who is politically tainted from head to toe, who is crushing the remaining public trust in law enforcement institutions.”

“As a minister, I am prevented from interfering in investigations that are conducted with complete independence, and it is important that it be so – but the political Attorney General, as the head of the prosecution, initiates political and selective investigations.”

“She did not investigate the leaking of the staged video from Sde Teiman, which caused enormous damage to the country, but she did order an investigation against public officials who protested the injustice perpetrated against our soldiers, after the IDF itself admitted that it erred in its conduct towards the soldiers at Sde Teiman. This is what classic selective enforcement of the Deep State looks like.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)