The controversy surrounding the new IDF regulation leading to many religious soldiers being told to shave their beards has led to a revelation. It appears military officials have set a ceiling on the number of bearded personnel the IDF is willing to tolerate.

A Walla News report states that non-religious personnel in the Logistics Branch have been instructed to return their authorization for sporting a beard, apparently to give it to one of the many religious soldiers who have yet to receive one. These soldiers were selected because they were among the last requests for a beard that were approved.

Walla quotes these soldiers explaining that as a result of the media frenzy surrounding the beards, the focus has shifted exclusively to the religious soldiers and they, the non-religious soldiers, are being forgotten entirely. These soldiers however are not about to just concede defeat but they are planning to use social media to gain support for their plight, the right to sport a beard simply because they wish to, not because of religious conviction.

The report adds IDF officials insist there is no ceiling of 15% limiting the number of authorizations that will be given out. The military is not stating however if there is a ceiling, perhaps at a different value other than 15%.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)