Israel Defense Force Chief of Staff Dan Shomron has accused the news media of exaggerating the scope of a draft-dodging ring operated by IDF personnel in collusion with civilians.
All soldiers and civilians detained for questioning in the scandal have been released from custody, but they could still be subject to arrest for further questioning as the investigation progresses.
According to media reports last week, hundreds of people allegedly paid bribes of $1,000 to $10,000 for certificates exempting them from regular army service or reserve call-up, both mandatory in Israel.
But Shomron played down the dimensions of the affair, saying only five recruits are known to have bribed their way out of army service.
No more than a dozen or so soldiers had bribed a small number of IDF officers and noncommissioned officers to cancel or postpone call-ups for reserve duty, according to Shomron.
All of the officers and non-commissioned officers involved have been suspended from their duties.
An exception was an officer with the rank of lieutenant colonel, who was restored to normal duties in his unit after one day in custody.
Shomron stressed however that even the small numbers involved are sufficient to force the IDF to re-examine its procedures and make sure such activities do not recur.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
