Ya’alon says IDF soldiers must recognize limits of force

In his Memorial Day address at the Kiryat Shaul military cemetery, Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon urges soldiers to show restraint, uphold their values, and not “lose their heads” in the “most difficult moments.”

In comments that appear to be referring to the manslaughter indictment of Sgt. Elor Azaria, who is accused of killing a disarmed Palestinian stabber in Hebron, Ya’alon cautions that excessive force is liable to lead Israel to “the abyss.”

“Even in the difficult moments, when our blood boils and the rage is great, woe to us if we lose our way and our values,” Ya’alon says at a ceremony. “Our path and sacred values have accompanied us for generations, and compromising them would likely lead Israel to the abyss. Use force when necessary, but also understand its limitations and ability to make us numb. Uphold the purity of arms and humanity, and we won’t lose our heads.”