In light of an ongoing investigation into an Israeli soldier who was filmed shooting a neutralized Palestinian stabber in Hebron last week, IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot sent a letter to all soldiers emphasizing “key military values the army holds dear.” Excerpts of the letter were published on the IDF’s website on Wednesday.
In the letter, Eisenkot stressed that commanders would support soldiers who made mistakes “in the heat of battle,” but would prosecute those who violate the army’s code of conduct.
[David] Ben-Gurion said that “the fate of Israel depends on two things: its strength and its righteousness.”
From the day of its establishment, the IDF has championed the values of devotion to the mission and striving for victory. It has also sanctified the important values of human dignity and purity of arms. These values reflect an ancient Jewish tradition and a nation that desires life.
In every activity and every situation, it is our responsibility to act professionally, using focused, measured, and considered operational strength so that we succeed in our mission and remain true to our values.
The commanders, and I especially, will continue to provide support to every soldier that errs in the heat of battle against an enemy that endangers the lives of civilians and soldiers.
However, we will not hesitate to arrive at an appropriate verdict with regards to soldiers and commanders that deviate from the ethical and operational standards under which we operate.
The preservation of the IDF spirit and its values is not a privilege, but an obligation. This maintains the IDF as a nation’s army in a Jewish and democratic state.
Eisenkot, who immediately condemned the killing, has faced public criticism for “abandoning” the soldier by some Israeli citizens and politicians, The Times of Israel reported Wednesday.
The incident in question occurred after two Palestinians attacked an IDF officer and a group of soldiers last Thursday, stabbing and wounding one soldier before being shot by the officer. One of the Palestinian stabbers was killed while the other was injured. About ten minutes after the altercation, as the injured soldier was being evacuated for treatment, his comrade– whose identity is restricted by a gag order– was filmed shooting the disarmed assailant in the head, killing him.
While it initially appeared that the military prosecutor would pursue murder charges against the soldier, it is possible that the indictment could instead be of intentional manslaughter, a less severe charge.
Eisenkot’s warning to soldiers who violate the IDF’s ethical standards was echoed by Asa Kasher, the author of the IDF’s code of conduct. “If a soldier did not behave properly, his commander will not be at his side to say the soldier behaved properly, whether he acted maliciously or made a mistake during an operation,” Kasher wrote in a Facebook post. “He will still be his commander, and therefore take care of him and possibly his family, but he will not defend him. Backup is a defense, a justification. A soldier does not always deserve that.”
[Photo: IDF Spokesperson ]