''Is this operational'?: Religious soldiers were forced to take pictures with stars at Shabbat meal

April 9, 2022   

Religious soldiers in the IDF are angry with Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi and the IDF spokesman - for bringing cameras into a Shabbat meal for a briefing for the media at Camp Ofer, where the Chief of Staff held a discussion with fighters and observers in Judea and Samaria. Are you over the age of 60? This is the teaching for you from Rabbi Kanievsky, zt”l Tzachi Dabush: The former military affairs correspondent for Galei Tzahal tweeted: "In what part of the day is a press conference broadcast live from a military dining room after the Sabbath begins when religious soldiers are part of the conversation with the Chief of Staff? A bizarre event that also contradicts army orders." Journalist Amit Segal tweeted: "What was the urgency for the IDF and Chief of Staff Kochavi to film a Shabbat meal of fighters (including filming religious fighters) and a speech by the Chief of Staff (from a dining room) on Shabbat night? Is it operational? For the sake of Israel's security?" MK Moshe Arbel of Shas has already sent a question to Defense Minister Benny Gantz about the broadcast of the Chief of Staff's statement live during a Shabbat night meal with fighters, some of them religious, at Camp Ofer. Arbel asked: "Why was it decided to broadcast the Chief of Staff's statement during Shabbat? Did the Defense Minister notify the Chief of Staff about this?" The MK added and asked: "Were the soldiers given the right not to participate in the event and not to be photographed on Shabbat? If not, why?" IDF spokesman Brigadier General Ran Kochav apologized this morning and takes responsibility for bringing media cameras into the military dining room last Shabbat night. "The incident at Camp Ofer, where soldiers were photographed on Shabbat with the Chief of Staff, was a mistake," Kochav said. "I apologize. This is an incident that should not have happened and the responsibility is entirely mine. I apologize and leave Yerucham.". Arbel asked