Deputy IDF chief in 2006: Soldiers must risk lives to save Palestinian civilians

In 2006, IDF Deputy Chief of Staff Yair Golan said it was “intolerable” that Israeli soldiers place Palestinian civilians in harm’s way instead of themselves, according to recordings that emerged on Sunday.

A decade ago, the deputy IDF chief — who came under fire this month for seemingly likening aspects of Israel to pre-Nazi Germany — also maintained that in some cases when IDF soldiers killed Palestinians, “it was simply criminal.

“In the presence of civilians we take upon ourselves risks, and rightly so,” he said in the recordings, which were published Sunday on several Hebrew news sites. “It’s unacceptable that in the name of preventing risk we would decide that now we are going to mow down an apartment building. You would kill women, children, those involved. It’s intolerable.”

If “an army unit needs to take risks in order not to harm bystanders, yes, it will take those risks not to harm bystanders,” he said.

Later in the recording, he warns soldiers that not every suspect person is a terrorist and tells them they can’t just kill people.

“Not in every combat situation are we all right-wing, are we all about to be slaughtered, and not every woman is hiding a terrorist behind her,” said Golan, then a commander in the Judea and Samaria Division. “I expect commanders to understand situations and take reasonable steps.”

He also goes on to give an example where a group of soldiers shot and killed an unarmed Palestinian, saying the platoon commander was guilty of a crime for “taking the life of a Palestinian just for nothing.

“Why? What do you want, that we justify that? Is this the nation we want to be? That kills for nothing? If we want to come with some sort of moral claim to the world, to the Palestinians, we ought to take great care of our morality,” he reprimands.

In 2006, Israel killed 130 terrorists and eight civilians, he said. “In some cases” among those eight civilians, “it was a reasonable mistake… and in some of the cases it was simply criminal. Simply criminal. An unacceptable use of the weapons we have in our hands.”

Two weeks ago, in a strongly worded Holocaust Remembrance Day speech, the deputy chief of the IDF warned against what he saw as trends of growing callousness and indifference toward those outside of mainstream Israeli society. He also appeared to draw parallels between the “brutalization” of segments of Israeli society and pre-World War II Nazi Germany.

Golan’s comments drew immediate criticism from across the political spectrum, with even those sympathizing with the general’s intent saying his choice of words and his timing were poor.

He quickly clarified his comments, saying he did not intend to compare Israel to Nazi Germany.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu castigated the general, calling the comments “outrageous” at the weekly cabinet meeting and saying they made light of the Holocaust. But he later said the issue has been dealt with and “is behind us.”

Last Wednesday, on Israel’s Memorial Day, Education Minister Naftali Bennett also addressed the issue of the army’s morality, arguing that upholding Israel’s values had led to many of the IDF’s fatalities. Israel, he said, “pays a heavy price for being the most moral army in the world.

“Jewish values often cost us dearly. And no one, no one, has the right to preach values and morality to this wonderful nation,” he said.

Meanwhile, Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon last Wednesday urged soldiers to show restraint, uphold their values, and not “lose their heads” even in the heat of fighting.

“Even in the difficult moments, when your blood boils and the rage is great, woe to us if we lose our way and our values,” Ya’alon said at the Kiryat Shaul military cemetery in Tel Aviv.

Ya’alon cautioned that excessive force was liable to lead Israel to “the abyss.”

The issue of IDF morality was also raised over the controversial manslaughter indictment of Sgt. Elor Azaria, who is accused of killing a disarmed Palestinian stabber in Hebron in March.