The IDF sent letters to the 43 signatories of the letter sent to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon and IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz. In their letter, the current and past reservists in the elite “8200” intelligence unit expressed their refusal to be part of a system the entrenches the IDF in “occupied areas”. They explained their inability to continue complying with orders that they feel violate the basic rights of PA (Palestinian Authority) residents.
It is now reported the IDF has sent all involved a letter that their service in 8200 has come to a sudden and abrupt end and they will no longer be called upon for IDF reservist duty.
Maariv reports one of the reported recipients of the letter insists he never received anything in writing from the IDF and he has not officially been told he is removed from the unit. He adds if the report is true, it shows the nation has an army that is not democratic.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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4 Responses
Every army has to follow orders. An army that CHOOSES when to follow and when not is an army set for failure. This has nothing to do with democracy. These officers are utter fools.
Since when is the army supposed to be democratic
How upsetting that such highly motivated people can err in such a fundemental way, identifying with the Arabs who present a mortal danger to the jewishpeoe living in the jewish land. The army is correct in dismissing them.
1. Insubordination in any army is a serious problem. That members of the social elites (and typically “Left”) are being insuobrdinate, in addition to many “hardal” (right), suggests the problem is very serious. Broad segments of the Israeli society don’t want to be in the army, and conscripting them is an invitation for insubordination.
2. This of courses raises the question of why Israeli law requries conscription of both Hareidim and Arabs (they are starting with the Hareidim for political reasons, but “share the burden” includes Arabs), and suggest that abolition of conscription would be a “win-win” solution for the army (which doesn’t want insubordinate soldiers) and much of the population (which doesn’t want to be in the army).
3. To a large extent, conscript armies have a strong democratic element to them. That’s a strong feature when there is national consensus, and a serious liability if there isn’t (which is now the case in Israel).