Golani Brigade Parents Allege Discrimination Over Medical Leave

Parents of soldiers in the Golani Brigade's 51st Battalion have raised serious allegations of discrimination concerning medical leave, or 'gimmels,' during advanced training in the Golan Heights. Approximately 80 soldiers in one company reportedly received medical leave for the weekend preceding Yom Kippur. Following this, the company commander allegedly implemented a policy that differentiated between soldiers who took medical leave and those who did not.

According to the parents, the original plan was for the entire company to remain at the base on the subsequent Saturday. However, the commander announced that soldiers who had not taken medical leave would be released home for the weekend, while those who had received 'gimmels' would be required to stay at the base. This, parents claim, created a situation where obtaining medical leave resulted in being confined to base while peers were allowed to go home.

The core complaint from the parents is not about soldiers staying at the base, but the perceived discriminatory manner in which the decision was made. They describe a situation where soldiers who did not take medical leave received various privileges and lighter duties, while those who did were assigned more tasks and guard duty. "The story is the discrimination," one parent stated.

The parents also expressed concern about the message this sends to soldiers. They fear that if soldiers believe seeking medical attention, even when genuinely needed, could lead to being kept at the base while others go home, they might avoid seeking necessary medical care in the future. Some soldiers reportedly sought medical leave because they felt they were not receiving adequate care at the base, while others used it as a way to avoid returning before Yom Kippur.

The IDF Spokesperson denied any discrimination, stating that all soldiers in the company were released home for the weekend before Yom Kippur. The spokesperson clarified that on Yom Kippur itself, some soldiers remained at the base for various reasons, including sick leave and other requests. For the subsequent Saturday, the company was ordered out with short notice, requiring some soldiers to remain for security duties, which were performed by both those who stayed for Yom Kippur and those who did not, contrary to the parents' claims.