By order of the Chief Military Prosecutor, a reserves soldier who was sentenced to 28 days in military prison was released yesterday after only two days in jail. Hevron Brigade Commander Col. Haggai Mordechai convicted him of conducting a "violent disturbance" during a prayer service at the Machpelah Cave last week. The Chief Prosecutor, however, ruled that the trial was conducted in a careless manner and that the soldier's claims of innocence were not sufficiently investigated.



The incident in question occurred when Border Guard police interrupted the prayer service in order to allow the Moslem muezzin - the one who sounds the loud, wailing call for Moslem prayer - to enter his room in the Machpelah building. Hevron spokesman David Wilder explained earlier this week that the army recently and suddenly changed its policy of not allowing the muezzin into the Machpelah Cave while Jewish prayers are going on. "We had no choice," Wilder said, "and we began praying in protest right outside the muezzin's room... When the police came in with the muezzin, [the reserve soldier] kept moving to the side and did not at all resist." Col. Mordechai did not accept this claim, despite photos proving its veracity - but the Chief Prosecutor did, and ordered the soldier released.