“There is no current IDF order restricting cellular phone use in mess halls,” on the Jewish Sabbath, an IDF spokesman said.
By Jack Gold, World Israel News
IDF Negev Training Base Commander Colonel Avi Motola ordered the removal of signs in mess halls asking soldiers to respect the Sabbath, claiming there was no such order, IDF Radio reported Sunday.
The signs, hung by the IDF rabbinate in mess halls serving some 10,000 soldiers. asked soldiers to refrain from using their cell phones and smoking in public while in the hall on Shabbat and Jewish holidays.
Motola had the signs removed after a female soldier complained about them. He said he looked into the matter and learned that there was no order regarding conduct in mess halls during the Shabbat and holidays.
An IDF Spokesman stated that “there is no current IDF order restricting cellular phone use in mess halls. The incident in question was reported by one of the soldiers to the commander of the Training Base, who treated it accordingly,” Israel National News reported.