update deskIsrael News

Tank stolen from IDF training base

The inactive Merkava Mark II tank was found and two suspects are in custody.

An Israeli Defense Forces Merkava Mk IV main battle tank. Credit: Israeli Defense Ministry.
An Israeli Defense Forces Merkava Mk IV main battle tank. Credit: Israeli Defense Ministry.

An obsolete and disarmed tank was returned to Israel’s defense establishment after it was stolen from an IDF training base overnight Tuesday, the army said.

The Military Police in cooperation with the IDF and the Israel Police opened an investigation into the incident, with two suspects in custody.

The tank was stolen from an IDF training base near the Elyakim Interchange in northern Israel.

A Defense Ministry representative reported the theft to the police and shortly thereafter, Coastal District Police officers located the tank in a junkyard in Nesher, near Haifa.

According to the IDF and the Defense Ministry, the armored vehicle is the shell of a Merkava Mark II tank that went out of service many years ago. It is without armaments and its systems are inoperable.

The tank was stationed in a firing range that was open to travelers and was used as a stationary tool for military exercises.

Last February, anti-judicial reform protesters stole a Yom Kippur War-era tank from a memorial site on the Golan Heights for use in a demonstration.

Police recovered the armored vehicle on a flatbed truck near Kibbutz Gadot, just west of the Golan Heights. It had been taken by former soldiers who fought in the 1973 war and intended to use it as a prop in the protests against the government’s legal reform program.

The tank was draped with a large replica of Israel’s Declaration of Independence, which was signed by the former IDF soldiers. They also spray-painted the word “Democracy” on the side of the tank.

You have read 3 articles this month.
Register to receive full access to JNS.

Just before you scroll on...

Israel is at war. JNS is combating the stream of misinformation on Israel with real, honest and factual reporting. In order to deliver this in-depth, unbiased coverage of Israel and the Jewish world, we rely on readers like you. The support you provide allows our journalists to deliver the truth, free from bias and hidden agendas. Can we count on your support? Every contribution, big or small, helps JNS.org remain a trusted source of news you can rely on.

Become a part of our mission by donating today
Topics
Comments
Thank you. You are a loyal JNS Reader.
You have read more than 10 articles this month.
Please register for full access to continue reading and post comments.
Never miss a thing
Get the best stories faster with JNS breaking news updates