‘We were wrong’ to punish pork-eating soldier, admits IDF

A US-born Israeli soldier has been let off the hook, after getting in hot water for ‘pigging out’ during training.

The soldier, a recent immigrant from Boston, said he was unaware of the dietary restrictions and was merely snacking on a lunch that his secular grandmother made him. The military said he had “violated rules and regulations and his commanders thought it necessary to discipline accordingly”.

They sentenced a soldier to 11 days in prison for eating a pork sandwich during a break in his commander’s course.

However, the punishment was replaced with confinement, after his family, the media and a politician wrote to the defence minister on his behalf. Israel’s army maintains kosher kitchens on its bases.

Brigadier General Moti Almoz posted on his Facebook page: “As for the issue of the soldier who was punished for eating a sandwich [which was] not kosher.  Bottom line, we were wrong.”