In the last two large-scale breaches to Israel Defense Forces' bases, the Znobar base in the north and Sedot Taiman in the south, more bullets were stolen than what the Israel Police seized in 2021 and 2022 combined. In those years, about 65,000 bullets were seized by the police and in the last two thefts, about 100,000 bullets were stolen, and they were not even the only thefts from IDF bases in recent months.
The latest theft from the Znobar base is causing outrage both within and outside of the IDF. It was revealed by several Israeli reports that the IDF recently invested a large budget in improving the security of the base, including new vehicles, fence maintenance, security cameras, and more. Despite this, the Israeli military did not know that the base had been breached until they received notice from the police.
Ministry of Defense: Large smuggling of Israeli ammunition into Palestinian Authority territory in northern Samaria foiled. ~4,000 stolen IDF 5.56 bullets discovered at Reihan Crossing in vehicle of 2 Arab Israeli citizens from Wadi Ara.
— زن زندگی آزادی Imshin (@imshin) May 20, 2022
https://t.co/AeLeQFjFxa @Intellinews3 pic.twitter.com/22hYwGK8a7
The break-in to the Znobar base took place last Friday night when the thieves managed to get to the bunker where ammunition is stored and steal about 73,000 bullets and another 70 grenades. The Israeli Police claim that even before the incident they had passed on information to the IDF about a burglary squad that apparently was spotted near the base.
Massive Israeli Border Police raid on military weapons sales - report: The IDF suffers from an ongoing problem of weapons theft, with guns, ammunition and other weapons having been stolen from bases all across the country, most evidently in the… https://t.co/AKURjiKp1M JPost pic.twitter.com/EI5gsBxSv0
— Jewish Community (@JComm_NewsFeeds) November 14, 2022
By Sunday morning it was reported that arrests were made and suspects were taken in from the Arab villages of Toba and Zangaria. Meanwhile, the Shin Bet and the police are making an effort to prevent the ammunition from reaching the terrorist organizations in Judea and Samaria. Every time Israeli security forces enter Jenin and Nablus, bullets begin flying. What the authorities have realized is that much of the ammunition used by the terrorists come from the IDF.
The theft of military equipment from IDF bases is nothing new. After each such theft, the military announces an inspection or investigation, but it is rare to hear of clear conclusions and punishment of the ranking officers responsible.
Police arrest suspects following large-scale theft of IDF ammunition https://t.co/FGqRKrsn2W #AndyVermautLovesTheJewishNewsSyndicate pic.twitter.com/32QPCDgZDu
— Andy Vermaut (@AndyVermaut) November 13, 2022
This time, as always, an investigating officer was appointed for the incident of the theft of ammunition from the Znobar base. The commander of the 4th Brigade, Colonel Miki Sharvit, who was appointed by the commander of the Northern Command, Major General Uri Gorodin, will oversee the entire probe. An IDF statement released on Sunday stated that the findings of the investigation will be presented to the commanding general within about a month.
What many critics fear is that just like previous investigations, the current one will not lead to any decisive action. Some right-wing activists have been pushing for a new military policy that would define ammunition thieves as terrorists and therefore give soldiers the legal right to use lethal force.
Yazan Fallah (left) and Shirel Aboukaret (right) were the victims of last night's terror attack in #Hadera.
— Aviva Klompas (@AvivaKlompas) March 28, 2022
Both were 19 & joined the IDF less than a year ago. Yezen was an Israeli Druze & Shirel an Israeli Jew.
Both died protecting Israel. May their memory be a blessing🕯️🕯️ pic.twitter.com/gwZHZ3HIHp
There is backing for such a move considering many of these bullets are sold or handed over to terrorists. Most recently, the terrorists who killed two people in the North-Central Israeli coastal city of Hadera in March of this year were caught with over 1,000 rounds of stolen IDF ammunition in their possession.
