IDF Soldiers Board Bus Featuring Political Campaign Ads
Translated & summarized from Al-Shams by baba
Israeli soldiers were seen boarding a bus featuring political campaign ads for Gadi Eisenkot's Yamina party, drawing criticism within the IDF. The military called the incident a "local malfunction" and requested the transport company's manager be summoned. New directives prohibit soldiers from using politically branded vehicles, with commanders required to find alternatives.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Israeli soldiers boarded a bus with political campaign ads for Gadi Eisenkot's Yamina party.
- The IDF described the incident as a "local malfunction" and requested the transport company's manager be summoned.
- New military directives forbid soldiers from using politically branded vehicles.
- Commanders must now secure alternative transportation if a politically branded bus arrives.
- Previous instructions in August also banned soldiers from using politically affiliated buses.
Israeli soldiers returning from an operational mission on the northern border were documented boarding a bus adorned with the image of Gadi Eisenkot, leader of the Yamina party, sparking criticism within the Israeli military. The incident, described by the army as a "local malfunction," prompted a request for the Ministry of Defense to summon the transport company's manager for clarification.
Photographs published on Wednesday showed soldiers boarding the bus, which displayed the party's political branding, despite military regulations prohibiting the transport of soldiers in vehicles bearing political advertisements or affiliations. These rules are in place to prevent the use of military transportation for electoral or partisan purposes.
In response to the incident, the head of the IDF's Technology and Logistics Directorate issued internal directives forbidding soldiers from boarding vehicles with political advertisements. Commanders are now obligated to secure alternative transportation if such a vehicle arrives.
This is not the first time the IDF has addressed this issue. In mid-August, the military circulated instructions to commanders prohibiting the transport of soldiers on buses used for political purposes or displaying party insignia, following similar occurrences. The army reiterated that these directives apply even when soldiers are being transported from civilian locations and forbid vehicles with political advertisements from entering military bases.
The army stated that the incident was due to a "local malfunction" by an external transport company contracted by the military. They have requested the Ministry of Defense, which handles contracts with transport firms, to summon the company manager for a clarification session. The military emphasized that instructions to transport companies explicitly ban political campaigning in their dealings with soldiers and stressed the necessity of adhering to these restrictions, providing suitable alternatives when non-compliant vehicles arrive.
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