Military rabbis have taught that all Israel’s wars are an order from the God
In the name of God, human frequently dare to do anything, even it doesn’t make sense. The God mostly used to pump their spirit, like in Israeli military at the present.
Thus, not being shock if Israeli Defense Force (IDF) recently is more religious than before. The new recruit soldiers who get their first duties will receive Psalm contains of prayer for the safety of holy city Jerusalem. At the time, military rabbis become more powerful in the hierarchy of Israeli military.
One of their main duties is to boost soldiers’ morale and drive. They have been placed in commando base until at the front line of battlefield. These war rabbis also have been trained about war strategy at officer’s school. “Our job was to boost the fighting spirit of the soldiers. The eternal Jewish spirit form Bible times to the coming of the Messiah,” said Lieutenant Shmuel Kaufman.
Their doctrine to all the soldiers is all Israel’s wars are holy wars. They have taught about it since the Zionist state strike the Gaza Strip for 22 days, started from 27 December last year.
Rabbis handed out hundreds of religious pamphlets during the Gaza war. Some of leaflets called Israeli soldier the “sons of light” and Palestinians the “sons of darkness”. Every morning prior to the operation, those army rabbis preached the soldiers by saying the Gaza war is an order from the God.
But Gal Einav, a non-religious soldier, is not comfortable with them. “It felt like religious war, like a crusade. Religion and the army should be completely separate,” he said. He told that during the war, his unit accompanied by a civilian rabbi and a military rabbi.
Brigadier General Eli Shermeister, the army’s chief education officer, also disagreed with the presence of military rabbis. He insists that Israel’s military commanders are the only ones in charge of the soldier’s spirit. “Nobody can create another morale code, not a religious one.”
Definitely, it’s so despicable. By using the God’s name Israeli military have deserved the right to torture and kill Palestinians.
BBC/Faisal Assegaf