The IDF respects religious practice
The IDF has ordered its troops not to eat, drink or smoke in front of 'Palestinians' at checkpoints in Judea and Samaria during Ramadamadan. The IDF eased restrictions on the West Bank over the weekend in a gesture to the Palestinians for the beginning of Ramadan.I'm wondering whether the IDF also instructs its non-religious soldiers not to eat or drink in front of religious soldiers on such fast days as Tzom Gedalia, Asara b'Teveth, Ta'anith Esther, Shiva Asar b'Tamuz and Tisha b'Av (I do not include Yom Kippur on the list because even most secular Israelis still fast on Yom Kippur). Anyone who has served in the IDF want to comment? I'm going to bet that the answer is 'no.'
Soldiers were instructed to refrain from eating, drinking and smoking - all forbidden for observant Muslims - in front of Palestinians at West Bank checkpoints.
...
Civil administration officials met last week with Palestinian representatives of the Wakf to coordinate prayer services and travel arrangements. The civil administration handed out special brochures to soldiers who operate in the West Bank to explain the sensitivities of the holy month.
By the way, the even better news in this article is that the IDF may make it easier for terrorists to move around by removing roadblocks at the end of Ramadamadan, just in time for Rosh HaShanna.
What could go wrong?
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 10:15 AM
2 Comments:
As an IDF vet who is still doing reserve duty, this makes me sick!
When will we get it into out thick skulls that there is nothing we can do that will make them (Arabs, or the rest of the world) "like" us, and prostrating ourselves on the ground in front of them in some inane effort to show our humanity is not only counterproductive, but it's anti-Jewish with regards to how a Jew should interact with an enemy who wants to kill him.
Having manned enough checkpoints in my career, I foresee only problems with this diktat
Jews still do not want to get it that nothing they do will ever get the Arabs to love them. There is a moral rot in the IDF that on one hand shows sensitivity towards the enemy and on the other hand shows cruelty towards one's own kith and kin. This IDF directive is a perfect example of the Talmudic dictum that he who is merciful to the cruel will be cruel to the merciful. Does the IDF show respect for Jewish observance? Your guess is as good as mine.
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