Four israeli Border Police soldiers stationed at the Beit Horon base have been sentenced to time in a military prison after lighting a barbecue on Shabbos, an act deemed a violation of both orders and religious observance regulations.

The incident came to light after a non-commissioned officer noticed the activity while passing through the base. According to a report by Kan News, the officer confronted the soldiers over the breach, prompting them to immediately put out the fire. The NCO subsequently reported the matter to the base commander.

Following a disciplinary hearing, the soldiers were originally handed 20-day prison sentences. However, after filing an appeal challenging the severity of the punishment, the sentence was cut in half to 10 days, which they are now serving.

Border Police officials supported the ruling by the commanders, stating that “this constitutes a serious violation of orders.”

Family members of the soldiers strongly criticized the decision, maintaining that the penalty was excessive given the circumstances. “These are soldiers with no prior complaints, and there should be a scale in sentencing,” they said.

{Matzav.com}