Fast Draw – Online Protests Against IDF

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The online protest against the IDF response to the soldier who reacted after being provoked by a Palestinian was just a matter of time.

In many armies, including those serving democracies, the provocation would have resulted in a broken leg for the Palestinian – at the very least. But the IDF castrates its soldiers. On the one hand they send enlisted soldiers to do work that should have been done by the police, while on the other hand they expect them to gently dance around the problems. The Palestinians are very familiar with this policy, that’s why they feel they can provoke soldiers.

The protest against IDF statements claiming the soldier’s conduct was improper was justified and it won’t be the last. Soldiers and their families had enough of the helplessness in the face of constant provocations, which might very well end in deadly stabbings. The army, instead of supporting the soldier, weakly mumbled statements that changed every hour to reflect public opinion.

It turned out that the soldier was punished for attacking his commanding officer, but instead of making that clear at once the army mumbled and stuttered, making it look like the soldier was punished for aiming his weapon at the Palestinian youth.

iHLS – Israel Homeland Security

So this protest of civilians and soldiers is aimed at the Army’s lack of support. You might have expected the IDF to fully support the soldier from the beginning, but that didn’t happen. Instead all we heard were embarrassing statements that changed every few minutes.

The army should have responded by saying “those who provoke IDF soldiers should be willing to suffer the consequences,” but that, as mentioned above, never happened. The protests resulted in responses from IDF officers that were just getting acquainted with the new reality of social networks. Glad somebody over there finally woke up.

More to the point. If the soldier did attack his commanding officers he should be court marshaled and pay the price. The IDF, however, has to give full and unconditional support to its soldiers. A Palestinian getting hit in the face is a better outcome than a soldier getting stabbed.

The hypocrisy of those who should have shown support for the soldier is better suited to Switzerland or Monaco. Here reality is harsh, threatening and deadly.