Following a recent protest by soldiers from the Bardelas infantry battalion, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has reduced the length of guarding shifts on the Egyptian border from 12 to eight hours. The demonstration was sparked by the deaths of three Bardelas soldiers killed by an Egyptian policeman who was reportedly chasing alleged drug smugglers.
This holiday season, give to:
Truth and understanding
The Media Line's intrepid correspondents are in Israel, Gaza, Lebanon, Syria and Pakistan providing first-person reporting.
They all said they cover it.
We see it.
We report with just one agenda: the truth.
Soldiers voiced concerns about working prolonged shifts in challenging conditions, as temperatures in the region often average 88° Fahrenheit (31° Celcius) in the summer. They argued that the extended hours in the field were unproductive.
Drug smuggling along the Israeli-Egyptian border has proven a significant issue. In 2023 alone, the IDF has reported thwarting 30 smuggling attempts. Most recently, on Friday, the IDF intercepted two drug smugglers, seizing over $2 million worth of narcotics, marijuana, and hashish.