Hebrew press sources have revealed extensive involvement of Israeli occupation soldiers, both in regular service and reserves, in systematic looting of civilian property within the villages and towns they infiltrated in southern Lebanon. Testimonies confirmed that these practices are no longer isolated incidents but have turned into a recurring phenomenon, including the seizure of contents from homes and shops without deterrence.
The stolen items varied, including motorcycles, modern televisions, as well as luxurious carpets, artworks, and household furniture. Reports clarified that these items are openly collected and transported in military vehicles and jeeps leaving Lebanese territory towards the border, a scene reflecting the absence of military oversight.
Testimonies cited by media sources indicated that field commanders at the battalion and brigade levels are fully aware of what is happening on the ground. Despite their knowledge of the theft incidents, they refrain from taking any disciplinary action or opening official investigations against the implicated soldiers, thus giving a green light for these violations to continue.
One soldier participating in field operations described what is happening as a 'crazy phenomenon' that has exceeded all logical boundaries. The soldier added that thefts occur openly, with personnel storing stolen goods in their private or military vehicles as soon as they find them, emphasizing that everyone in the combat units is aware of the extent of these thefts.
These scenes recall reports that documented similar widespread looting operations carried out by the occupation army in the Gaza Strip since the start of the war of annihilation in October 2023. It appears that the scenario of seizing civilian property is now moving from the southern front in Gaza to the northern front with Lebanon, with the same method and approach.
In one testimony, a soldier mentioned that a field commander caught a group of personnel attempting to leave the border in a car loaded with stolen items. Although the commander reprimanded them and ordered them to dispose of the property, the incident ended there without any military punishment or referral to the military police.
Observers and field soldiers believe that leniency in enforcing military law sends a clear message to recruits that looting Lebanese property is permissible. A soldier told media outlets that the absence of deterrent penalties, such as imprisonment or dismissal from service, is the main reason behind the escalation of this phenomenon and its transformation into a general behavior.
Reports also noted that some commanders merely verbally condemn the phenomenon in front of their soldiers to clear their conscience, but in reality, they overlook the thieves and do not prevent them from bringing stolen goods into Israel. This institutional complicity reflects a state of moral and legal breakdown within the units operating deep in Lebanese territory.
Sources stated that the absence of military police at border checkpoints directly contributed to facilitating the exit of looted property. If there were real oversight at border crossings, huge quantities of furniture and electrical appliances stolen from the homes of Lebanese civilians who fled their villages would have been seized.
Testimonies indicate that soldiers do not even try to hide the stolen goods when crossing the border; instead, they place them in visible locations inside trucks. This behavior indicates the soldiers' complete confidence that they will not be held legally accountable by their superiors or by the military judicial system, which ignores these crimes.
In conclusion, these facts confirm that looting of property has become part of the field doctrine of some units in the occupation army, where civilian property is treated as spoils of war. These violations continue amid international silence and complicity from the senior military command, which focuses on combat operations and ignores the criminal behavior of its soldiers.
It's a crazy phenomenon; anyone who takes TVs, cigarettes, or tools immediately puts them in their car. It's not a secret, and everyone sees and understands.
شارك برأيك
Testimonies of occupation soldiers reveal widespread looting of civilian property in southern Lebanon