Khaberni - The Chief of Staff of the occupation army, Eyal Zamir, presented an updated picture of the combat situation on Monday, addressing stern messages regarding issues of discipline, values, and standards in the army.
In his speech during a conference for the senior command, which also featured Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Zamir said that the army continues to operate at the tactical level, but strategically, it is in a phase of operational pause due to ongoing negotiations in various arenas. Nonetheless, he emphasized that the army is in an immediate state of readiness to return to combat at any time.
Referring to the "Iranian threat," he noted that "Iran's plan to destroy Israel has currently collapsed."
Alongside the operational situation, the Chief of Staff devoted a significant part of his speech to what he called the ongoing erosion in the army's values, stating: "There is erosion, but we must not abandon our values nor compromise our standards", urging leaders to demonstrate leadership, set boundaries, and handle exceptional incidents strictly.
During the conference, the Chief of Staff presented to the leaders examples of exceptional events from the field, including the use of "symbols not in line with the spirit of the army." In one case, he displayed a "patch" and asked the leaders whether this was an acceptable phenomenon: "Is this how you want our army? This is a rebellion against the values of the defense army." He also mentioned the destruction of a statue of Christ in a Christian village in southern Lebanon, affirming that this event undermines the army's values and spirit.
On the matter of human resources, the Chief of Staff emphasized the importance of expanding recruitment to include all population segments, highlighting his efforts to boost the recruitment of Haredim (ultra-Orthodox) into the army.
In addition, he clarified that this integration would not occur at the expense of women - against the backdrop of claims that female recruits had already been harmed due to the desire to preserve the religious lifestyle of Haredi soldiers: "We will continue to integrate women in all roles, and there will be no exclusion of women," noting that this will be done while maintaining the relevant orders.
He continued: "I also clearly say here.. Women are an integral part of the army and its operational strength. There will be no exclusion of women from the army. Integrating them is a matter of value, characterized by equality and constitutes an operational necessity that must be done without favor. We will continue to allow service for a diverse group of categories, without compromising others or coming at their expense - and we will do so while maintaining the identity and values of the defense army."
The Chief of Staff also addressed the phenomena of looting in combat zones, stating, "The phenomenon of looting, if it exists, is a despicable phenomenon that would tarnish the reputation of the entire army. If such events occur, we will investigate them. We will not overlook this casually."
He instructed that each battalion commander submit a detailed report on the status of his unit in this matter, through the chain of command up to the General Staff level, within a week. All reports will be compiled in a designated directorate within the Human Resources Department, and in cases where looting offenses are found, the matter will be criminally dealt with by the Military Police Criminal Investigation Division (Metzah).
Additionally, the Chief of Staff emphasized the absolute prohibition of civilians entering combat zones, as well as the entry of unauthorized officers and soldiers, clarifying that these are mandatory instructions not subject to interpretation, following excessive civilian entries who feel entitled to enter southern Lebanon.
He also addressed the use of social media by soldiers, saying: "Service members in the army, whether in regular or reserve service, will not use social media as a tool for disseminating controversial messages or for self-promotion. This is a red line that must not be crossed, and offenders will be handled disciplinarily. The uniform we wear is a symbol of the place we serve in and our values - it should not be used irresponsibly."
Haaretz newspaper also reported, citing soldiers and field commanders, that looting of property, homes, and shops by soldiers in southern Lebanon had become almost a routine phenomenon.
It was also mentioned that a soldier in the army had destroyed a statue of Christ in the town of Deir Sirian in southern Lebanon, where the incident was recorded on video.
