IDF commander: 'If you're going to be captured, fall on a grenade'
The IDF has decided not to press charges against a Golani Brigade battalion commander who told his troops to fall on a grenade rather than be captured in Operation Cast Lead.In a tape recording of a briefing the commander of Battalion 51 gave his soldiers before entering Gaza during Operation Cast Lead the senior officer was heard saying: "Hamas's strategic weapon is to kidnap a soldier and I don't have to tell you but no soldier from Battalion 51 gets kidnapped at any price and under any situation even if it means that he has to blow up his grenade together with those who are trying to kidnap him."Some of you may recall the story of Roi Klein HY"D (may God avenge his blood), the commander in Bint Jbeil who fell on a grenade to save his soldiers' lives. This particular commander now commands Klein's old battalion.
"We are going to explain to the Palestinian enemies what it means to mess with Israel. It is important that you understand we are going into a war. The coiled spring of Battalion 51 is going to pop in the face of these Palestinians," he is heard saying in the recording.
Military sources who heard the entire recording of the briefing, part of which was aired on Channel 10, said Monday that it was clear that the officer did not mean that soldiers should commit suicide but that he was trying to motivate them before they entered the Gaza Strip. The IDF was however looking into how a recording of the briefing was leaked to Channel 10.
"In the name of these values we fight, and in their name we shall win," 51's commander is heard telling the men at the end of the recording.
One source said, "It was clearly a pep talk and the officer has received the IDF's full support… What he said was not mean to be taken literally."
As it happens, Klein's name came up last Thursday night at a class I attend. The Rabbi told us that he met with members of Klein's battalion after the Second Lebanon War and assured them that Klein had acted within the parameters of Halacha (Jewish law). I will not mention the Rabbi's name (and if anyone mentions it in the comments, I will delete the comment), but I will tell you that he is ultra-Orthodox.
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 10:22 PM
3 Comments:
Suicide is forbidden by Jewish law. But Kiddush HaShem, to sanctify the Name Of G-d, is a praiseworthy deed. To die for Him in order to save one's fellow Jews is a meritorious act. It is an act of valor and courage. That is what is the IDF commander meant to convey to his fellow soldiers: to die out of a love of G-d is preferable to being taken captive by the enemy.
I don't see what this commander did wrong? Israel doesn't need any more Gilad Schalits.
As I said, Jews love life. There times when giving it up redounds to the glory of Heaven and Jews have had martyrs down through the ages. A Jew doesn't have to allow himself to taken alive if the enemy will torture him, sell him into slavery or put him to death. That is why the Jews martyred themselves at Masada rather than let the Romans doing things to them no free man would wish to be done to his person. Being free means being loyal to G-d and at times one is called upon to pay the ultimate price to remain faithful to The Name.
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