The unrest and chaos that started Monday afternoon, when mobs of right-wing coalition supporters, including several MKs from the Religious Zionism and Jewish Power party stormed the Sde Teiman IDF base in southern Israel, continued overnight as additional mobs attempted to break into the Beit Lid base where the detained soldiers are being held.
After a brief intrusion by several rioters, military and police forces were deployed around the military courts on the Beit Lid base Tuesday morning to prevent further attempts to infiltrate the base where the soldiers are being held.
During demonstrations Monday night and into the early hours of the morning on Tuesday, several dozen demonstrators managed to open the gate and enter the base. After several minutes of confusion, police and IDF soldiers on the scene managed to push the demonstrators out of the base.
The IDF severely criticized the response of Israel Police to the demonstrations at both Sde Teiman and Beit Lid, alleging that the police did not do enough to restrain the mobs from breaking into the bases. IDF leadership said it did not understand how the demonstrators managed to enter the bases when police were already on the scene.
As a result of the intrusion, the IDF called in Border Police and reserve troops to help remove demonstrators from the bases.
IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, who came to Beit Lid after hearing about the riots, said, "We came to Beit Lid because that is where our soldiers are, and to make sure nothing worse happens. The arrival of rioters and attempts to break into bases are severe behavior in violation of the law, bordering on anarchy, harming the IDF, state security and the war effort."
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant also condemned the riots on X, writing, "The break-in of civilians into IDF bases is a serious incident that severely harms Israeli democracy and plays into the hands of our enemies in times of war."
On Tuesday morning, Gallant sent a letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu demanding "strong action against the coalition members who participated in the riots" and asked Netanyahu "to order an immediate investigation to examine whether the Minister of National Security prevented or delayed the police action in response to the violent events in which members of his party were partners."
The incident was mentioned by Tasnim News, an Iranian-regime-affiliated news site, which called the riot "a loss of control by the security agency."
He continued, saying, "The IDF has my full backing as defense minister to take measures and act immediately to prevent unauthorized civilians from entering IDF bases."
A military official said that demonstrators and rioters should be handled by police and not IDF soldiers.
The official also condemned the behavior of the mobs, saying, "When you encounter a terrorist on the battlefield, the task is to kill them. When a terrorist is arrested, there are orders, rules and laws."
The Israel Police rejected the IDF's criticism saying, "The incident was handled professionally and decisively, and control was achieved quickly."
"The Israel Police enforced law and order professionally while allowing freedom of demonstration and protest. We regret the attempts being made to discredit the police and their work," the police statement said. "The police will continue to enforce law and order and allow freedom of demonstration and protest, according to the law."
The incident, including the arrests of the soldiers and the rioting caused significant outrage among politicians and disagreements between coalition members as well.
Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said that "a handful of rioters are breaking into IDF bases and dismantling our state and the rule of law." He said the people need to decide, "Do you want a state or militias here that do whatever they want?"
He also attacked the coalition government over its response to the riots.
"I call on the government; show leadership already. Stop pouring gasoline on the fire and prevent the dismantling of the State of Israel."
Shanna Orlik, a member of the Hitorerut movement, said she filed a police complaint against MK Zvi Sukkot for breaking into the Sde Teiman base. She noted that such behavior is a criminal offense punishable by a prison sentence.
Likud MK Tali Gottlieb refused to condemn the riots.
"I do not condemn the breaking into the IDF bases," Gottlieb said, referencing Attorney-General Gali Beharav-Miara who in 2023 said, "There is no effective protest without disturbing the public order."
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said the demonstration was justified in comparison to the behavior of riots during the Judicial Reform protests.
"Unlike the hypocritical left, which turned to break the law, refusal [to serve], and setting the state on fire into a method for a year and a half under the auspices of the attorney general, we have a responsibility to the state," Smotrich said.
"Therefore, I call on everyone to uphold the law and the integrity of the army and the people. Not to break into bases and not to confront our brothers, soldiers and policemen, and to guard the boundaries of the protest."
Republished with permission from All Israel News