'Lost' Israeli Soldier is Jailed

The Israeli major had to be rescued from Islamic Jihad members


29 August 2007

An Israeli army officer who mistakenly entered a Palestinian town and had to be rescued from angry residents by Palestinian forces has been jailed for his actions.

A statement from the Israeli military said a court martial found the major guilty of ignoring travel regulations in the occupied West Bank, and ordered he serve 28 days in jail.

Members of Islamic Jihad, a Palestinian armed group, said they had tried to seize the officer in the town of Jenin on Monday.

He was rescued by security men loyal to Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, and returned to Israeli forces.

Jenin has been considered a stronghold of resistance to Israel since the start of a Palestinian uprising against the occupation in 2000.

Abbas's Fatah faction holds sway in the West Bank and is where Abbas established a government after its rival Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip in June.

Source