Soldier jailed for disobeying orders

A US-born Israeli soldier who refused to take part in an army operation to destroy empty buildings in the Gaza Strip before evacuation of the entire territory later this summer has been sentenced to 56 days in jail, the army spokesperson said yesterday.

Cpl Avi Bieber, from Passaic, New Jersey, has become a hero among opponents to the government plan to evacuate all 21 Jewish settlements from the Gaza Strip, after he refused to take part in the demolition operation on Sunday, where soldiers had to remove settlers who tried to interfere.

The army feared the structures would be turned by the settlers into a base of opposition. Bieber said he was motivated by his religious belief that Jews were given the land by God.