Once again, R”L being a religious soldier in the IDF results in becoming targeted with religious persecution. This time, the officer, a member of the Golani Brigade, has removed a religious soldier from service in the Frontal Command Post (חפ”ק) he commands because he refused to shave.

The soldier explained he has the required IDF authorization to maintain a beard for religious reasons, but the officer would not hear of it. He wants clean shaven soldiers serving under him, not religious bearded ones. In fact, he has removed a number of soldiers from the command post, not just one, all religious, sporting beards for religious reasons and all authorized by the IDF.

The incident was revealed by Ynet correspondent Yossi Yehoshua, who tweeted the incident. He reports “one refused [to comply with orders to shave] and was removed from the post”. Yehoshua adds IDF officials have confirmed the facts in the case, as reported, however the soldier who was removed has yet to be returned to his post.

He then tweets, “another incident and another incident and we are losing our belief in religious Zionism”.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)