Army chief: No support for soldiers who break IDF’s code

IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot promises full support for soldiers who make mistakes “in the heat of battle,” but threatens swift justice against those who violate the army’s codes of conduct.

In a special message to soldiers in light of the ongoing investigation into a serviceman who shot a disarmed Palestinian attacker in the head last week, he writes: “The IDF puts in your hands the responsibility to fulfill our mission — to defend the nation. Your commanders, and myself at the top, will continue to give support to any soldier who makes a mistake in the heat of battle, against a dangerous enemy threatening the lives of civilians and soldiers.”

Continues Eisenkot, “However, we will not hesitate to exact justice on soldiers and officers who deviate from operational standards and the values we operate by.”

— Judah Ari Gross