Has the IDF become an army of settlers?
When the time comes for disengagement, perhaps the state may decide to temporarily redeploy regular troops to the Border Police. It is doubtful whether it will be possible once again to rely on the IDF for that job.
By Amos HarelIsrael's left may have already missed the opportunity to reach a permanent agreement with the Palestinians. A considerable part of the blame for the failure falls with the Palestinians, but during the missed years - the critical years since the Oslo Accords - something important happened on the Israeli side: The Israel Defense Forces underwent a change.
The army plays a critical role in carrying out an agreement (in withdrawing from territory and evacuating settlers ), but also in ensuring security stability after the agreement is reached. The trouble is that the IDF of 1993 is not the IDF of 2010. Here is what happened in the officers' course for the infantry corps, the spearhead of the combat units, during that period: In 1990, 2 percent of the cadets enrolled in the course were religious; by 2007, that figure had shot up to 30 percent. And this is how the intermediate generation of combat officers looks today: six out of seven lieutenant colonels in the Golani Brigade are religious and, beginning in the summer, the brigade commander will be as well. In the Kfir Brigade, three out of seven lieutenant colonels wear skullcaps, and in the Givati Brigade and the paratroopers, two out of six. In some of the infantry brigades, the number of religious company commanders has passed the 50 percent mark - more than three times the percentage of the national religious community in the overall population.
This is a generation of commanders committed to its missions, the IDF and the state. It simply has roots in different areas than previous generations. If you glanced at the lists in the company commanders' offices 20 years ago, you could have seen considerable numbers of fighters from the greater Tel Aviv area and coastal plain. This is of course a generalization that unfairly overlooks the exceptions, but the number of such soldiers today is negligible. A few years ago, a Golani battalion commander found that only one of his soldiers was a resident of Tel Aviv. Today, in a different capacity, a number of Tel Aviv residents serve with him - but all of them live "south of the Dolphinarium line," referring to the city's lower-income neighborhoods.
In terms of manpower, long-term processes have been set in motion. The decision by left-wingers and members of kibbutzim to abandon Training Base 1 (where officers' courses take place ) in the wake of the first Lebanon war and the first intifada can be felt today among the brigadier generals, who are knocking at the doors of the General Staff in 2010. Many complain about how colorless the senior brass is today, something that can be partially explained by the fact that in the mid-1980s many recruits with potential waived their assignation to officers' courses.
It is an open secret that in the IDF a certain sector of the population is divided mainly between Unit 8200 of Military Intelligence, the pilots' course, the reconnaissance units and sometimes - with a world of difference - those who get a psychiatric exemption from service. These people will hardly ever go to Golani or Kfir. The abandonment of the combat infantry units will also be noticeable in the next 15 years in the General Staff.
The IDF has made mistakes in the territories and continues to do so, especially in the silent assistance it has given the illegal outposts over the years. But describing it as an army of occupation troops is foolish and overlooks the truth. The secular left-wing fell asleep on the job. The empty ranks it left in its wake have been filled by others. Even those who believe there is no choice other than a massive evacuation of the settlements should know that it will be extremely difficult to do this after the disengagement from Gush Katif.
In 2005, the evacuation was carried out because Ariel Sharon did not bat an eyelid and the military acted accordingly. The battalion commanders, for the most part, will obey orders next time as well, but it is hard to see how the company commanders who come from the settlements of Tapuah and Kedumim will answer the call to remove Jews from their homes. It is no surprise that the top IDF brass is so fearful of such a scenario.
When the time comes for disengagement, perhaps the state may decide to temporarily redeploy regular troops to the Border Police. It is doubtful whether it will be possible once again to rely on the IDF for that job.
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Why is this a surprise to anyone? The right and the religious segment of the population are committed to Israel and army service because they believe in Israel and in their duty to the Jewish community. The left, on the other hand, today isn't "for" anything, only against (nearly everything)...and, it's hard to do miluim from Sweden.
Well, to put it in eschatological terms - things are shaping up into a batlle between the Army of Yahweh against the Army of Allah. Will make a great Cevil B.de Mille movie !
I'm sick and tired of the religious avoiding the draft!! They must join the Army and shoulder the burden with everyone else. Isn't that what we've been saying for years? Well, here it is. Like it?
Israel is religion, religion is Israel. To be Israeli is to be Jewish to be Jewish is to be Israeli. There is no room for anything less than complete occupation of the territory once known as Palestine and all those goyum who inhabit this land must be expatriated to Lebanon, Jordan, or Egypt. There can only be one state, and one people, Israel and Jews, nothing less.
religon is going to bury this country god can't be the president or p.m of israel
The left, more or less, are wrong. Plain and simple. Only an idiot doesn't admit their mistake.
"describing it as an army of occupation troops is foolish and overlooks the truth" maybe, unless someone doesn't elaborate and demonstrate it, they are occupation troops So it's the left fault if the right wing "soldiers" will not respect orders and mutiny? is it a fault of the left if some right wing religious fanatics will revolt against their orders and the government???
You've missed one important aspect. The religious soldiers have Rav Ovadia Yoseph, and Rav Eliyashiv as their commenders, and not Ehud Barack. The more religious serve, the quicker Israel will become a religious state. So now you see the reality, its the government of Israel that does not want the heredim to serve in the IDF, its not the heredim them selves.
It's time for all of us on the left to undertake a very serious cheshbon hanefes. What has happened to our youth?
The left in israel complained for years that the religious didn't join the army. Now the religious do participate and the left sees it as a problem. The Israeli left (whats left of it) -thank g-d not much-has got to start coming back to the army or stop complaining that the army has reigious soldiers.
The mere fact that IDF members are religious or not is not important, discipline is. If these soldiers carry out their orders without hesitation or allowing their personal feelings to overrule their duty, there will be no problem. In fact, their background and understanding may well assist them in certain situations involving the settlers. The real issue is if the IDF is unable to function effectively as mutiny breaks out and military discipline breaks down.
The government of Israel has no overall control. Fractious in the extreme, the only way forward is self destruction. Perhaps this is the ultimate prophecy?
The religious should be praised for their commitment to the state of Israel, not have their loyalty called into question. Most religious soldiers and officers are committed to the rule of law and are some of the few in Israel today still risking their lives so the rest of us can live in peace. Why is it assumed that left-leaning soldiers will do a better job at this? Did Anat Kam put Israel before her own beliefs when she stole classified documents and leaked them to the publicly putting IDF operations and lives in jeopardy?
The left is so enraptured with itself it does not realize that it is essentially acknowledging that all the decades the IDF was "run" by leftists elements (kibbutzim, tel avivim, etc.) it was ideologically tainted with leftist politics. Its advice to governments that israel can defend itself within the 67 borders was offered with an agenda. The willingness to gamble that it was true based upon a preexisting ideology. If religious soldiers cannot be trusted to give objective military advice to the political echelon then obviously neither could the ideological (religiously) left. Maybe we should subcontract our defense out to a neutral 3rd party. Maybe the Martians. Harel and his ilk are just hypocrites who do not know how to accept the result of a democratic process so they look to foreigners to impose their belief system on the democratically elected government (of course for our own good). Academic freedom and press freedom in Israel is a get out of jail free card for treason and sedition. No other western country would accept what goes on here.
What a crazy point veiw from this colomnist, send him to a Yeshiva.
Well,better than having patriotic Jews who care for Israel rather than the leftists who have almost abandoned their love for country and its people. The fact they wear a "skull cape" does not impede them from their duty that they apply with ardour. We need tham all,religious and secular. I think you are being too pessimistic by labelling them almost as traitors sorry. Your accusations versus the religious,and secular does not reflect the truth.if one is a patriot ,then it is all we Israelis need/want. p/s I am secular
Kicking Jews out of their homes is wrong!
Those that live in Judea and Samaria have much in common with the IDF. Both protect ISrael. Let them be as one.
And from another hopeful American I thank your encouraging words. Those military fellows put their life on the line and deserve our support rather than make them outcasts because they happen to be religious,wear a "ckull cap".So what? I say bless them all,for without them Israel would be lost. Thank you
Anyone unwilling to put his ass on the line has no right to complain about the behavior of those who are willing to take that risk / put up with the unpleasantness of military life. If dealing with that unpleasantness is more important to you than your obligation to your country, shut up about those who are taking your place.
... but surely these religious and right-wing recruits can be educated to see the light-of-day... that we cannot live forever by the sword... that we have neighbors to consider if we want a good life ourselves...that these neighbors could potentially recruit tremendous Muslim support, if they have no other recourse... why push them in that direction?...
That according to you need educating? They would not been able were it not for their education.i.e The love of their country whereby you'd be lost without them.Religious or not. I notice you have not put your address..or perhaps you are not Esther from T.A? I doubt another Esther would write such a post. And who are pushing them in that direction Esther? Unless I missed that part of the in the article?
"here i am send me" gorgeous words.and a lesson to all of us in israel.to understand what it means to set an example.
somebody has to watch and guard the gates of the jewish state.so in answer to the words "whom shall we send?who will go for us? the answer from those with faith rings clear and true. "here i am.send me."
we have become a warrior nation by dint of necessity.why this coy language.mr harel means to tell us that western jews form the elite of the idf. if that is the truth then we must know it without virginal shyness.
Well said and written.Almost poetic in substance. I admire all your responses that shows how much you love your country and its people in Israel. No other complimetary words come to mind even if I sound a bit mushy,but it is the TRUTH in essense.
i loved reading that.
Disengagement has only brought more violence, instability and terror to Israel. It is a grave mistake and must not be repeated. The IDF and border police must learn how to deal non-violently with Arab radicals and maintain law and order so that Jew and Arab can travel safely throughout Israel.