In a briefing before the Knesset Foreign Affairs & Defense Committee on Tuesday, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-General Gabi Ashkenazi stated he feels that soldiers should not be ordered to remove residents of unauthorized outposts, but the task should be assigned to police. The IDF commander stated he does not feel that such a task is the job of the military.

Some rabbonim are already calling on soldiers to refuse orders to dismantle outposts. Among the prominent Torah voices is Rav Zalman Melamed Shlita, Rav of Bet El and a leading halachic authority in the Dati Leumi Torani community.

In another matter, the military commander told committee members that everything possible must be done to rectify the current situation in which IDF officers are fearful regarding travel to Europe, both from their tarnished image and actions of those who seek to have them arrested should they visit Europe on alleged war crimes.

The disdain for IDF officers increased significantly following Operation Cast Lead, the IDF’s counter-terrorism military offensive in Gaza, with senior officials falling prey to antagonistic anti-Israel media, turning much of the European public opinion against them.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)