IDF says troops were wrong to dress as medics in ultra-Orthodox areas

The IDF says commanders allowed soldiers operating in Bnei Brak to dress as medics from the Magen David Adom rescue group in order to avoid being attacked.

The military says the move was a “mistake in decision-making” by commanders in the field and soldiers should only be deployed while wearing their IDF uniforms, according to Army Radio, which first reported on the incident.

Some 700 soldiers have been deployed to back up police operations to enforce shelter-in-place orders, which have mostly centered on ultra-Orthodox communities, some of whose members have continued to congregate.

Police officers detain a man in Beit Shemesh while enforcing social distancing rules on March 31, 2020.
(Yaakov Lederman/Flash90)

The deployment of the soldiers has thrust troops who normally only operate on borders and in the West Bank into a near-unprecedented situation.

A Police officer walks with soldiers as they patrol Jerusalem city center to enforce a partial lockdown in order to prevent the spread of the coronavirus on March 31, 2020. (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)

Soldiers on leave have been attacked in the past when entering ultra-Orthodox areas while in uniform, due to deep anti-Zionist sentiment and vociferous opposition to mandatory military service among portions of the community.

On Sunday, police refused to step in to enforce social distancing measures during a mass funeral in Bnei Brak, apparently fearing that doing so could devolve into rioting.