The Shin Bet alerted the Israel Police around 6:00 p.m. on Monday with intelligence that Israeli civilians intended to break into the Beit Lid base, Walla reported Tuesday.
This information was revealed in the context of the arrest of suspects involved in the abuse of the Nukhba terrorist, which led to the break-in of masses of protesters into both bases.
The police claim that they reinforced forces around Beit Lid prior to receiving the alert from the Shin Bet. In reality, dozens of protesters entered the IDF facility without any interference and remained there for several minutes.
The police stated, “Contrary to incorrect reports, the Israel Police had prepared with reinforced forces prior to receiving the alert based on the incident at the Sde Teiman facility. In practice, from the beginning of the demonstration at 5 p.m. until the alert was received at 6:28 p.m., Israel Police officers prevented several break-in attempts through the main gate of the facility about an hour before the alert was issued.”
The police added, “It should be emphasized that the break-in to the facility occurred from another point in the compound that was not mentioned in briefings by the military or any other source. Please ensure accuracy in your reports.”
The protesters arrived at the Sde Teiman base after Military Police Criminal Investigation Division soldiers, masked, arrested several reservists on suspicion of sexual abuse of a Nukhba terrorist. Many civilians, as well as MKs Amichai Eliyahu, Nissim Vaturi, and Zvi Sukkot, arrived at the base and broke in.
During the arrest, the reservists clashed with the police who came to the base. One of the soldiers, captured on video, shouted at them, "We will unite against this thing where the IDF fights its own soldiers. That's it. It's over." Another reservist added, "It pains me to turn my back on the IDF."
Criticism of the conduct of the military prosecution
Hila, the wife of one of the detained soldiers, criticized the military prosecution's conduct. "My husband left on October 7 to protect all of us. He left home, family, work, put his life on hold. My husband is the son of a fallen soldier; his father was murdered in a terrorist attack 22 years ago. My husband went to the reserves out of a great sense of duty and love for the country, went to protect all of us, and now we feel like the lowest criminals, treated as if we are felons.
“The Chief Military Advocate General and all the prosecutors couldn't endure for a minute what he and his comrades went through. My husband did his job in the best possible way, under difficult conditions, in a harsh reality, with the most ruthless murderers and rapists, the cruelest terrorists in the history of the state. My husband performed his duties professionally, with dedication. He is a patriotic Israeli who should receive a commendation, not find himself in a detention cell," she added.