ISRAELI OFFICER HANDED 5-MONTH TERM FOR LOOTING TURKISH VESSEL

An Israeli military court on October 18 sentenced an officer who admitted to stealing electronic equipment from the Turkish vessel that was raided by Israeli commandos in May to a five-month prison term. The officer, who holds the rank of first lieutenant

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August 16, 2022

An Israeli military court on October 18 sentenced an officer who admitted to stealing electronic equipment from the Turkish vessel that was raided by Israeli commandos in May to a five-month prison term. The officer, who holds the rank of first lieutenant and was a squad commander at the time of the raid on the Marmara, will be demoted to the rank of private. He has also been slapped with a fine of 700 Israeli shekels ($200). In their verdict, the Israeli military judges said the case constitutes a grave and ugly mishap by a commander, and that his actions had wide-ranging implications, beyond the ‘image’ of Israel and the Israeli army. According to the indictment, the soldier boarded the Marmara after it docked at the southern Israeli Ashdod Port following the lethal Israeli Navy raid on the Gaza-bound vessel on May 31. The officer arrived with a bag containing drinks, but later removed them and instead placed six laptops, two camera lenses and a compass, which belonged to passengers, and then sold them to other soldiers. He confessed to the theft after he was detained. Three other soldiers are currently facing a trial over their role in the looting affair.