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IDF ceased long ago being 'most moral army in the world'
By Gideon Levy
Tags: Palestinians, Israel news 

What shock, what consternation. Haaretz revealed grave accounts by officers and soldiers describing the killing of innocent Palestinian civilians during the war in Gaza. The Israel Defense Forces Spokesman was quick to respond that the IDF had no prior or supporting information about the events in question, the defense minister was quick to respond that "the IDF is the most moral army in the world," and the military advocate general said the IDF would investigate.

All these propagandistic and ridiculous responses are meant not only to deceive the public, but also to offer shameless lies. The IDF knew very well what its soldiers did in Gaza. It has long ceased to be the most moral army in the world. Far from it - it will not seriously investigate anything.

The testimonies from the graduates of the Oranim pre-military course were a bolt from the blue - accounts of soldiers butchering a woman and two of her children, shooting and killing an elderly Palestinian woman, how they felt when they murdered in cold blood, how they destroyed property and how there was not even fighting in this war that was not a war.
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But this is neither a bolt nor blue skies. Everything has long been known by those who wanted to know, those who, for example, read Amira Hass's dispatches from Gaza in this paper. Everything started long before the assault on Gaza.

The soldiers' transgressions are an inevitable result of the orders given during this brutal operation, and they are the natural continuation of the last nine years, when soldiers killed nearly 5,000 Palestinians, at least half of them innocent civilians, nearly 1,000 of them children and teenagers.

Everything the soldiers described from Gaza, everything, occurred during these blood-soaked years as if they were routine events. It was the context, not the principle, that was different. An army whose armored corps has yet to encounter an enemy tank and whose pilots have yet to face an enemy combat jet in 36 years has been trained to think that the only function of a tank is to crush civilian cars and that a pilot's job is to bomb residential neighborhoods.

To do this without any unnecessary moral qualms we have trained our soldiers to think that the lives and property of Palestinians have no value whatsoever. It is part of a process of dehumanization that has endured for dozens of years, the fruits of the occupation.

"That's what is so nice, as it were, about Gaza: You see a person on a road ... and you can just shoot him." This "nice" thing has been around for 40 years. Another soldier talked about a thirst for blood. This thirst has been with us for years. Ask the family of Yasser Tamaizi, a 35-year-old laborer from Idna who was killed by soldiers while bound, and Mahdi Abu Ayash, a 16-year-old boy from Beit Umar who was found in a vegetative state, another victim of recent days, far from the war in Gaza.

Most of the soldiers who took part in the assault on Gaza are youths with morals. Some of them will volunteer for any mission. They will escort an old woman across the street or rescue earthquake victims. But in Gaza, when faced with the inhuman Palestinians, the package will always be suspicious, the brainwashing will be stupefying and the core principles will change. That is the only way they can kill and engage in wanton destruction without deliberating or wrestling with their consciences, not even telling their friends or girlfriends what they did.

Regarding the statement of one soldier, who said "As much as we talk about the IDF being an army of values, let's just say this is not the situation on the ground, not on the battalion level," the IDF has long ceased to be an army of "values," not on the ground, not in the battalion, not in the senior command. When an army does not investigate thousands of cases of killing over many years, the message to the soldiers is clear, and it comes from the top.

Our Teflon chief of staff, Gabi Ashkenazi, cannot wash his hands of this affair. They are bloody. What the soldiers of the preparatory academy described were war crimes, for which they should be tried. This will not happen, save for the grotesque spectacle of "principled probes" in an army that killed 1,300 people in 25 days and left 100,000 homeless. Military police investigations will not lead to anything.

The IDF is incapable of investigating the crimes of its soldiers and commanders, and it is ridiculous to expect it to do so. These are not instances of "errant fire," but of deliberate fire resulting from an order. These are not "a few bad apples," but rather the spirit of the commander, and this spirit has been bad and corrupt for quite some time.

Change will not come without a major change in mindset. Until we recognize the Palestinians as human beings, just as we are, nothing will change. But then, the occupation would collapse, God forbid. In the meantime, prepare for the next war and the horrific testimonies about the most moral army in the world.

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      1.   On the money 02:58  |  David 22/03/09
      2.   most moral army in the world? 03:12  |  Vladimir 22/03/09
      3.   Can you tell me who is the MOST moral army, then??? 03:30  |  Daniel K 22/03/09
      4.   Sadly there is some truth to Mr Levy`s article 03:32  |  BDF 22/03/09
      5.   I love Gideon Levy 04:06  |  I love Gideon Levy 22/03/09
      6.   IDF & Morality 04:08  |  Terry Gilbert 22/03/09
      7.   Most moral army in the world 04:22  |  David Howard 22/03/09
      8.   What Golda Meir would say 04:23  |  ag 22/03/09
      9.   you Are right, however......... 04:40  |  GL 22/03/09
      10.   Moral army ??? 04:42  |  Mark 22/03/09
      11.   Moral soldiers get killed, dirty soldiers live! 04:47  |  Srul 22/03/09
      12.   WHY MUST WE BE MORAL?????? 05:11  |  Jesse 22/03/09
      13.   Mr. Levey wants IDF to lie down and die 05:17  |  Ephraim 22/03/09
      14.   Rules of Engagement 05:17  |  Fred 22/03/09
      15.   Name a more moral army 05:29  |  Moshe 22/03/09
      16.   Okay, how about: "Least immoral army..." 05:37  |  David 22/03/09
      17.   Rethinking Golda Meir: Our Own "Sorrow and the Pity" 05:39  |  Avshalom Beni 22/03/09
      18.   Hysterical Stories 05:45  |  David 22/03/09
      19.   gideon and the idf 05:45  |  jjh 22/03/09
      20.   Hamas used drugged women and children in Cast Lead.. 05:57  |  Tom 22/03/09
      21.   This allegation against IDF has not been proven. read... 06:02  |  Tom 22/03/09
      22.   Hey Levy, you think the US is so "civilized"? 06:05  |  IW 22/03/09
      23.   israel might now be the "most moral army in the world" but 06:11  |  so what 22/03/09
      24.   So which army is the most moral? 06:24  |  Bill 22/03/09
      25.   Immoral enemy 06:35  |  Aussie 22/03/09
      26.   A message to our Arab and Persian enemies. 06:53  |  IDF Officer 22/03/09
      27.   Learn from Orwell 07:08  |  Al 22/03/09
      28.   Destruction of Hamas 07:18  |  David 22/03/09
      29.   No More IDF prisoners..Go IDF and the Rabbinate 07:19  |  Danny 22/03/09
      30.   right again is mr. Levy 07:28  |  Doreen 22/03/09
      31.   WAR 07:32  |  SHMUEL 22/03/09
      32.   moral army 07:32  |  zoe 22/03/09
      33.   Gideon Levy 07:32  |  Ron 22/03/09
      34.   A question for Gideon 07:39  |  Benny 22/03/09
      35.   IDF has long ceased being `most moral army in the world` 07:42  |  David 22/03/09
      36.   At least we are fighting the most moral terrorists in the world 07:43  |  Dan 22/03/09
      37.   Israel and morals in the same sentence??? 07:48  |  john 22/03/09
      38.   Daniel K - live with reality. 07:50  |  Palestinian Brit 22/03/09
      39.   IDF officer 07:53  |  Palestinian Brit 22/03/09
      40.   Is this really Israel - the persecuted? Scary. 07:57  |  Palestinian Brit 22/03/09
      41.   survival of the fittest 08:07  |  elimelech 22/03/09
      42.   To #24 IDF Officer 08:12  |  Ric 22/03/09
      43.   Gideon Levy, why is the left dead in Israel? 08:29  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 22/03/09
      44.   Dear Mr Levy, they are children! 08:39  |  Bob 22/03/09
      45.   Levy`s snivelling has become a daily bother. 08:47  |  S 22/03/09
      46.   Avshalom Beni moral attitude 08:47  |  Xavier Ragot 22/03/09
      47.   To # 42 Ric 08:58  |  Xavier Ragot 22/03/09
      48.   #5 I love Gideon Levy too! 08:59  |  levy lover 22/03/09
      49.   Levy Misrepresents, Cherrypicks 09:08  |  Benjamin 22/03/09
      50.   IDF by Gideon Levy 09:09  |  Judith Nusbaum 22/03/09
      51.   BEST JEW IN ISRAEL IS... GIDEON LEVY! 09:09  |  Samy 22/03/09
      52.   IDF ceased long ago... 09:15  |  Mihaeli Feldmann 22/03/09
      53.   Levy.... Any comment on Haifa Car bomb? 09:35  |  Ari 22/03/09
      54.   idf did not want to enter Gaza # 26 idf 09:40  |  Gazan 22/03/09
      55.   Is the Israeli much more "evil" than other armies in this world ? 09:42  |  Swiss (Dino) 22/03/09
      56.   Bad math = bad reporter. 09:44  |  Peter 22/03/09
      57.   #44 Are they really children? 10:01  |  Dana 22/03/09
      58.   Lots of excuses 10:04  |  Palestinian Brit 22/03/09
      59.   The spirit of the commander 10:26  |  sh 22/03/09
      60.   # 17 Thank you Avshalom 10:26  |  Dana 22/03/09
      61.   # 1 Palestinians 10:38  |  Alan 22/03/09
      62.   "AL HAAJEEZEERA", TYPICAL 10:41  |  Robert 22/03/09
      63.   Amerivca is worst, Israel is next 11:04  |  Natallie Durson 22/03/09
      64.   If it`s true ................... 11:11  |  Brian- Isr 22/03/09
      65.   Immoral army and its leaders 11:13  |  Mitch Katz 22/03/09
      66.   #to Palestinian Brit 11:14  |  Dana 22/03/09
      67.   The best ! 11:28  |  Cath 22/03/09
      68.   Ground Offensive/Gaza 11:30  |  Canadian 22/03/09
      69.   Morality 11:35  |  Ze 22/03/09
      70.   When the world series is just the American league 11:45  |  Rafael - Sydney 22/03/09
      71.   The real question 11:47  |  john and the TRUTH! 22/03/09
      72.   #61 - what? 11:50  |  Md 22/03/09
      73.   Morality part 2 11:51  |  Ze 22/03/09
      74.   Armies are not moral by definition 11:53  |  Maria 22/03/09
      75.   To swiss Dino 11:54  |  Yosi 22/03/09
      76.   gideon levy ceased long ago being `most moral` journalist 11:56  |  pk 22/03/09
      77.   John from Detroit 11:59  |  virtu 22/03/09
      78.   from a Muslim perspective 12:02  |  Dunya 22/03/09
      79.   Army versus moral 12:02  |  Barbro 22/03/09
      80.   Godeon, we salute your courage 12:15  |  UK 22/03/09
      81.   Which other country reveals such tender consciences? 12:24  |  x-ray 22/03/09
      82.   Army versus moral II 12:26  |  Barbro 22/03/09
      83.   STOP OCCUPATION AND OPPRESSION 12:42  |  Palestinian 22/03/09
      84.   Most Moral Army 12:43  |  brian 22/03/09
      85.   I am not so sure. 12:46  |  David Nigel Braham 22/03/09
      86.   tell me who`s your enemy&i`ll tell you who you are 12:47  |  when i was 19 22/03/09
      87.   And the new champions of morality are..... 12:57  |  Jay A Friedman 22/03/09
      88.   To save our souls 13:06  |  Eva 22/03/09
      89.   Gideon Levy. 13:12  |  Stephen. 22/03/09
      90.   Well, read the posts 13:17  |  Colin Wright 22/03/09
      91.   PAL BRIT when can we expect true cofessions from Hamas security? 13:19  |  PETER SM 22/03/09
      92.   Is the IDF running Israel? 13:25  |  fritz t. 22/03/09
      93.   Gazan 13:36  |  Daniela 22/03/09
      94.   Thanks Gideon 13:55  |  oscar 22/03/09
      95.   Morality Definition - An ideal code of conduct 13:57  |  SA 22/03/09
      96.   "Moral army" in vicious circle of wars 14:01  |  Miryam 22/03/09
      97.   IDF ceased long ago being `most moral army in the world` 14:24  |  niso 22/03/09
      98.   most moral 14:31  |  yuval 22/03/09
      99.   The fact the you are Israeli and you can write these lines... 15:33  |  Someone 22/03/09
      100.   Gideon Levy 15:38  |  Cyasher 22/03/09
      101.   # 75 Yosi 15:42  |  Swiss (Dino) 22/03/09
      102.   For Levy Israel is immoral just by the fact 16:15  |  TOMY 22/03/09
      103.   Oi Vei Swissie Swisse Swissie #98 16:26  |  Jay A Friedman 22/03/09
      104.   The armchair discussion of morality 16:29  |  TOMY 22/03/09
      105.   Good for the IDF: Too little, Too late 16:41  |  AA 22/03/09
      106.   #100 TOMY 16:55  |  Elina 22/03/09
      107.   There are atorcities committed in every war 16:56  |  An American 22/03/09
      108.   Benjamin, could not have said it better 17:05  |  jj 22/03/09
      109.   So which army has more morals, Gideon? 17:09  |  Murray of Montreal 22/03/09
      110.   IDF MORALITY 17:29  |  KEVIN 22/03/09
      111.   #8 ag 17:38  |  Stephen Connor 22/03/09
      112.   fritz t. IDF and Morality 17:45  |  Stephen Connor 22/03/09
      113.   Hamas on the Morality Scale 17:46  |  Scrolls 22/03/09
      114.   TOMY IN NY 18:03  |  Stephen Connor 22/03/09
      115.   Army 18:12  |  Dani 22/03/09
      116.   Israel self imploding 18:23  |  Esra 22/03/09
      117.   The russification of the IDF 18:36  |  Voice of Reason 22/03/09
      118.   #113 Stephen Connor , it is an uncalled for 18:48  |  TOMY 22/03/09
      119.   TOMY IN NY 19:05  |  Stephen Connor 22/03/09
      120.   What about the WP shells? 19:56  |  Peter 22/03/09
      121.   1) Spain 2) Denmark 3) Israel 4) Japan 20:13  |  Joe 22/03/09
      122.   Most moral army in the world 20:34  |  Hilda 22/03/09
      123.   An eye by an eye. Is Hamas moral? 22:13  |  MOYSES 22/03/09
      124.   Gideon please give me a few hints 02:27  |  alan the real one 23/03/09
      125.   Thank you Gideon, Haaretz 04:07  |  Canadian 23/03/09
      126.   The Moral debate 04:44  |  rogerb 23/03/09
      127.   haaretz is a beacon of light 04:59  |  josh 23/03/09
      128.   Stop screaming defense, Levi is right 07:08  |  Ramzi 23/03/09
      129.   my G-D 07:10  |  howard 23/03/09
      130.   to gideon 07:14  |  alex 23/03/09
      131.   Gideon levy is living proof: "Liberalism Is A Mental Disorder." 07:22  |  common sense 23/03/09
      132.   Those who call the IDF "moral" show a disconnect with reality 09:29  |  Dutch 23/03/09
      133.   To #100 Cyasher.Gideon Levy.. 18:02  |  Whiskey 23/03/09
      134.   For #133 Cyasher and The Purity of Arms.. 19:31  |  Whiskey 23/03/09
      135.   #134, Whiskey, creating scenarios that never happened... 20:28  |  Silvienne 23/03/09
      136.   #63, move to Russia and get an education 23:10  |  Sundance 23/03/09
      137.   IDF 23:41  |  fubar 23/03/09
      138.   For Scrolls The IDF/IAF Both are the most MORAL soldiers.. 23:49  |  Whiskey 23/03/09
      139.   Gaza: pitting Israel`s self-view against Israel`s own actions 03:17  |  Anthony Dunn 24/03/09
      140.   The only moral army is one that saves Jewish Lives? 06:25  |  Rose 24/03/09
      141.   Whiskey, I can`t believe how short sighted you are... 08:11  |  Dutch 24/03/09
      142.   Good for you, Gideon (from Slovenia & UK) 13:09  |  Mike 24/03/09
      143.   Hamas or IDF? 14:10  |  €mppu 24/03/09
      144.   Most moral army in the world 18:18  |  Wahyu Indrasto 31/03/09
      145.   why would israel warn civilians if they want max casualties? 15:25  |  gaby 22/07/09
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