The conscripted sheep
Nahal officer 'conscripts' sheep to Syrian border outpost
Company commander in Nahal's reconnaissance battalion takes sheep from citizen, keeps on it grounds of Syrian border outpost; battalion soldiers said sheep was to be used in target practiced or slaughtered for food, commander denies; IDF inquiry underway, army says, points out prohibition on keeping animals on bases.
A company commander in the Nahal Brigade's reconnaissance battalion decided to borrow a sheep from a private citizen recently, held it in the outpost he commanded near the Syrian border and allegedly planned to use it in military operations.
The commander claimed in an initial inquest into the unusual recruit that he harbored no intentions of shooting the sheep, but testimonies provided by combat soldiers serving in his battalion and obtained by Ynet said the sheep was indeed meant to be used in target practice.
The officer quickly released the sheep in open land Friday, following Ynet's overtures to the army on the matter, and it has since disappeared, despite attempts to locate it. While the Nahal battalion initially claimed it was returned to its rightful owner, it later said it was released with his consent.
The company commander may have intended to use the sheep for target practice, soldiers said
Further testimony obtained by Ynet—which the company commander summarily denied—stated that after the elite unit failed to use the sheep in operations against Syrian terrorists in the Syrian Golan Heights, they considered slaughtering and eating it at a team-building event.
The IDF's Criminal Investigative Division (CID) was made aware of the irregular occurrence, but has yet to decide whether to open a criminal investigation into the company commander's conduct.
The Nahal's reconnaissance battalion is currently tasked with the Syrian border sector, and a Nahal source said that, "The sheep was held in the outpost as if it was completely normal. Some soldiers were disturbed by it and others were apathetic. It's much more than animal cruelty—it's a real blow to the army's value system."
The event took place on the backdrop of the army making clear Northern Command's prohibition on soldiers avoiding coming into contact with animals at all costs, due to the increased proliferation of rabies in the region stemming from the Golan Heights.
IDF Spokesperson's Unit commented, "Using animals for operational ends is completely prohibited by IDF orders, as is raising animals anywhere on the grounds of army bases."
"The aforementioned event will be questioned by high command and disciplinary action may be taken in accordance with their conclusions. It should be stressed no harm was intended to come to the sheep," the comment concluded.
