IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir has ordered the military to examine possible legal action over the film “Collateral Damage,” while launching a separate investigation into whether classified materials were leaked and used in its production. The steps were ordered following a special meeting of senior IDF officials on Monday, Bechadrei Charedim reports.
Zamir sharply condemned the film and the allegations presented in it, describing what has emerged so far as being based on “blood libels, a deliberate distortion of reality, and false and serious accusations against IDF soldiers and commanders.” He stressed that the IDF operates in accordance with international law and its values, while making efforts to minimize harm to uninvolved civilians.
“This is an attack against the State of Israel, not only against the IDF,” Zamir said. He accused the film of adopting the narratives of Israel’s enemies, defaming Israeli soldiers and commanders, and attempting to portray the IDF as deliberately operating outside the law. Zamir warned that such allegations threaten Israel’s ability to defend itself and could place IDF soldiers and commanders in real danger.
“We will not allow IDF soldiers to be turned into targets through lies and blood libels,” Zamir declared, adding that the military must respond decisively using the legal, command and public-diplomacy tools available to it.
The high-level meeting included the IDF deputy chief of staff, head of the Operations Directorate, Military Advocate General, commander of the Israeli Air Force, commander of Unit 8200 and IDF spokesperson. The military decided to establish a special multidisciplinary and interorganizational team, led by the head of the Planning Directorate, to formulate ways of confronting false allegations against the IDF and its soldiers with assistance from experts in Israel and abroad.
Zamir separately instructed the Military Advocate General to examine possible legal avenues relating to the film and those involved in it, including in light of the accusations made against IDF soldiers and the potential consequences for their safety. The IDF will also investigate the information-security aspects of the production, including identifying anyone who may have been involved in leaking classified material allegedly used to produce the film.
Alongside the legal and internal military measures, Zamir ordered a broad Israeli and international public-diplomacy campaign in coordination with the Foreign Ministry, Justice Ministry, National Public Diplomacy Directorate and other relevant bodies.
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
