Stolen Tank Recovered in Israel: Investigation Reveals Unusual Circumstances

Overnight, between Tuesday and Wednesday, a tank was stolen from an IDF training base near the Elyakim interchange in northern Israel. The Israel Police, in collaboration with the Military Police Investigations Unit, have initiated an investigation into the incident.

The Ministry of Defense promptly reported the theft to law enforcement. Shortly thereafter, officers from the Coastal District Police discovered the tank in a junkyard located in Nesher, near Haifa.

Several months ago, a tank dating back to the Yom Kippur War was taken from the Tel Saki battlefield site in the Golan Heights. It was intended to be featured with a replica of Israel’s Declaration of Independence during a demonstration organized by the 1973 Veterans Against the Judicial Reform. The tank was supposed to be part of a procession of vehicles from the Benot Yaakov bridge to Degania. However, law enforcement intercepted the tank carrier transporting the vehicle near Kibbutz Gadot.

The tank’s disappearance initially caught the attention of local residents, prompting a search effort. Subsequently, it became evident during the investigation that the tank had been taken without authorization by the leaders of the protest, who were veterans of the 1973 war.