Investigations against MKs who broke into Sde Teiman base approved by AG

Following the break-in at Sde Teiman, Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara and State Attorney Amit Isman have adopted the police's recommendation and approved opening warning investigations against Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu, MK Nissim Vaturi, and Former MK Tzvi Sukkot, who are suspected of breaking into the Sde Teiman military base.

MK Vaturi has already announced he will not comply with the investigation: "You won’t silence me! I won’t appear for a political investigation orchestrated by the deep-state prosecutor and the legal advisor of the Kaplan cult. They’ll have to drag me in handcuffs from the Knesset," he wrote on X.

"Before you approach me, investigate Yair Golan, Naama Lazimi, Ehud Barak, Dan Halutz, and Bogie Ya'alon. Or are they granted immunity as part of your coup junta? This is yet another vile attempt by Gali and Amit to take revenge on right-wing Knesset members. The fact that they first informed the 'State Prosecutor’s Spokesman' – a journalist from Channel Panic 12 – shows that this is a personal and non-legal act of revenge. Fellow ministers – it’s time to send this legal advisor home. Yesterday!"

Amichai Eliyahu responded cynically on X: "I welcome the Attorney General's decision to open an investigation against the distributors of the slanderous and biased video from Sde Teiman, which caused immense damage to the IDF and the State of Israel. IDF soldiers deserve the state's support against those attempting to defame them. No doubt – a professional, apolitical Attorney General."

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir also responded: "While the Attorney General and the State Attorney rush to authorize investigations against right-wing elected officials, they turn a blind eye to a much more serious offense committed by MK Gilad Kariv – caught leaking classified protocols from the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee. They ignore Yair Golan who calls for rebellion and refusal, MK Naama Lazimi who incites unrest, and former PM Ehud Olmert, who declared in 2023: 'It's time to move to the phase of war – not speeches, but face-to-face battle.' This is selective enforcement and complete politicization of the law enforcement system."

The Military Police Criminal Investigation Division (MPCID) launched an investigation after several reservist soldiers at the Sde Teiman base were suspected of abusing a detained Hamas Nukhba terrorist. As investigators arrived to detain the suspects, a violent confrontation broke out, with attempts to help some of the soldiers flee the scene.

Several MKs abandoned their regular duties in the Knesset and arrived at the scene, including Almog Cohen, Nissim Vaturi, Amichai Eliyahu, and Tzvi Sukkot. MK Sukkot reportedly forced his way into the base while an NCO attempted to stop him. Vaturi and Eliyahu joined the crowd shouting slogans such as "Death to terrorists" and "Herzi (referring to former IDF Chief of Staff), go home!"

In August 2024, the Attorney General and State Attorney’s Office announced they were reviewing complaints filed against Vaturi (Likud) and Sukkot (Religious Zionism) regarding the break-in. The matter was handed over to the Deputy State Attorney for Special Functions.

Former MK Sukkot, in an interview with Aryeh Eldad and Ben Caspit on Radio 103FM, explained why he went to Sde Teiman: "I saw videos that no one was supposed to see, and I went in to find out what was happening. I see the whole story. This attempt to portray what happened as a break-in into IDF bases is just a spin. I can go where others can't, to make sure we can monitor what's happening. I don’t see myself cooperating with this spin".