The fighters break their silence: "We did not flee from the front – this is what really happened"

13 combat engineering soldiers from the 603rd Battalion responded today (Saturday evening) to the report on Channel 14 regarding their unauthorized departure, rejecting claims that they fled from the combat zone in Lebanon after being punished for humiliating soldiers and using violence. In a joint statement, the soldiers clarify that they left their base without permission, not the front, and claim that the incident for which they were tried was a birthday celebration intended to break the routine, not hazing. According to them, the decision to leave was also caused by a series of complaints that had accumulated over time regarding service conditions and the treatment of the heavy engineering equipment company.

Following the report on Channel 14 about the unusual incident in the 603rd Engineering Battalion, all the soldiers involved decided to respond together and present their version of the sequence of events. They do not deny that they left the base without permission and even use the term "AWOL" themselves, but they strongly reject the claim that they fled from the combat zone in Lebanon.

"None of us fled from the line of fire in Lebanon and went AWOL, absolutely not. This country is important to us and we protect it because we love it," the soldiers wrote. "We left for home from our base and not from a line of fire. As much as this country is important to us and we want to protect it, we do not have the normal conditions and tools. We left for home – we went AWOL."

According to them, the incident that led to the disciplinary procedure took place on Monday, during a birthday celebration for one of their friends. They wanted to create a "break in routine" and prepared a kind of "human cake" for him, in which they threw cake-making products at him. The soldiers claim that this was done in a humorous way and without any intention to humiliate or hurt their friend.

"On Monday, our friend had a birthday, so we tried to make a human cake and break the routine a little, throw cake-making things at him and make a cake out of him in a humorous and funny way," they stated.

According to them, the day after, the commander of the 603rd Battalion heard about the case and decided to prosecute those involved. The soldiers claim that the heavy equipment operators were sentenced to 28 days of confinement on base, two received prison sentences, one was dismissed from his position and from combat, and another soldier was dismissed from his position within the company. According to them, the punishment was given following what was defined as "hazing."

Following the decision, the soldiers say, they packed their belongings and left the base without permission. However, they claim, the punishments were not the only reason for the unusual step. "We did not remain indifferent. The next day we packed our bags and left for home," they wrote. "This whole case of leaving for home is not just because of this 'hazing.' These are many other events that are rolling along and no one talks about them, but it is time they were talked about."

Later in the joint statement, the soldiers raise serious allegations against the 603rd Battalion sergeant major. According to them, he harasses the heavy equipment company and speaks to them in a blunt manner. "At every opportunity he has, he harasses the heavy equipment company," they wrote, and claimed that he told them: "I will dismantle this company of yours, it is a matter of time." It should be emphasized that this is the soldiers' claim.

The soldiers also raise claims regarding the living conditions on the base. According to them, ten operators are forced to stay in each room, even though there are only eight beds in each. According to them, after they requested a solution, a container was brought for them and a place was even found to place it, but they encountered a refusal to connect it to electricity.

"We are ten operators in each room. We have three rooms and in each room eight beds," they wrote. "We asked for a container so we would have somewhere to sleep. They brought us a container, we found a place to put it, but the sergeant major told us: 'I am not connecting it to electricity for you. Be like that if you want, you have no electricity.'"

Another claim concerns the maintenance of the company compound and the resources transferred to it. The soldiers say that they have been trying for a long time to get paint for the purpose of renovating the place, but according to them, their requests are not answered. At the same time, they claim that other rifle companies in the battalion receive equipment, budgets for team-building days, and breaks from operational activity.

"We have been fighting for a long time to get paint from the sergeant major to renovate our company," they stated. "We are neglected while the rest of the rifle companies in the battalion receive new gallons of paint, budgets for fun days and refreshments from the fighting, and only us, the heavy equipment company, are skipped. We are on the front line, those who break through every axis and risk our lives, and we see no appreciation."

According to the soldiers, these events created a continuous feeling of discriminatory treatment towards the heavy equipment personnel. "We are tired of being harassed, disrespected, and skimped on – and all this because we are a heavy equipment company," they wrote.

At the end of their statement, they return and reject the way the two main components in the original report were described – the place of departure and the event that led to the punishment. According to them, none of them fled from Lebanon, and in the birthday celebration there was no violence against the soldier who was at its center. "Everything that was heard was a lie. We left the base for home and not from Lebanon. Not a single soldier was humiliated and did not undergo abuse. We do not have beatings in the company – hands for us are a red flag," the soldiers stated.