IDF combat soldiers up requests for material on morals in war

There has been a sharp rise in requests from Israel Defence Forces combat units to the Education Corps for material on military ethics and "values during wartime," says Brig. Gen. Eli Shermeister, the army's chief education officer.

Speaking at a seminar yesterday in Jerusalem on "War and Peace in Jewish Heritage," Shermeister acknowledged an inherent tension between protecting soldiers and avoiding harm to innocent civilians. The seminar was sponsored by the Beit Morasha center for Jewish studies,

With regard to the ongoing conflict between the Education Corps and the the IDF rabbinate, Shermeister said that "responsibility for education and Jewish identity is officially conferred on the Education Corps, and that's how it has to be." He extended an olive branch to the rabbinate in saying "it has great educational capacities and we must not fail to use them."

The IDF decided not to participate in a seminar being held today in Jerusalem on law and ethics during Operation Cast Lead in Gaza. It is being sponsored by Rabbis for Human Rights. Shermeister expressed a willingness to participate, but his attendence was not approved by the army. The seminar's sponsor called the army's failure to send a representative "surprising," and said it raised questions about the IDF's willingness to examine its own conduct.

A senior IDF source said the seminar's sponsor has set itself a goal of harming the army. An IDF spokesman denied a boycott of public discussion of the army's conduct, and said the army tries to send representatives to conferences on Operation Cast Lead whenever possible, but it was not possible in this instance.