Viral Video Leaked Sensitive IDF Info
Oops! A six-minute YouTube video showing classified IDF maps and command-and-control systems went viral over several months before authorities caught on and removed it. But it was too late to undo possible damage that might have been done, as many viewers had already downloaded the video to their personal hard drives.
Ynet has posted the video after having blurred out all the sensitive material, like maps, communications equipment and information posted on bulletin boards. To the Shmooze’s eye, it does not appear that the video was meant as a deliberate security breech. Rather, it seems that a bunch of bored teenagers — who happen to be IDF soldiers — simply made a music video to amuse themselves.
These young people are in trouble not only for panning the camera along all that top-secret stuff, but also for smoking in and dancing around (in less than proper uniform) the control room at their base. In addition, it turns out that the officer who appears to be supervising his charges in the control room is not really an officer — just a regular conscript impersonating one. (“I’m not really a lieutenant. I just play one in a viral video.”)
There’s no telling whether these careless shenanigans have caused any real harm. But the incident (along with other recent inappropriate Facebook posts by IDF soldiers) raises the question of why some IDF recruits today do not seem to have the necessary maturity to serve — or at least to keep their homemade videos off public websites.
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