Comments on: When Having a Strong Army is a Disadvantage http://www.israelsituation.com/2010/03/when-having-a-strong-army-is-a-disadvantage/ Mon, 06 Feb 2012 20:26:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Anthony Reich http://www.israelsituation.com/2010/03/when-having-a-strong-army-is-a-disadvantage/comment-page-1/#comment-1511 Anthony Reich Sun, 21 Mar 2010 22:10:46 +0000 http://www.israelsituation.com/?p=2112#comment-1511 I am reluctant to blame outsiders for influencing what Israelis feel about the army and its activities. You are right to express concern about the increasing lack of belief and criticism of our military and our boys in green. One would think that living in Israel allows all Israelis to understand the importance of the job that the army does, and to give respect where it is due. I have two further points that I wish to add on this subject: 1. No institution the size of the IDF can hope to exist without renegades who behave badly or bring the organisation into disrepute. This should not be confused for bad behaviour on the part of the IDF. I am happy that the IDF investigates such incidents in the public eye and assesses and punishes individuals who behave against its orders accordingly. 2. The incidence of Israelis criticising the IDF remains, relatively speaking, fairly small. The number of high school students who are committed and proud to undertake their military service in defence of Israel and the Jewish people, and the number of these kids who volunteer for fighting units remains incredibly high. This, for me, is a much more important measure than the isolated examples that you mention. I would not bother to picket the cinemas or the restaurants for fear of bringing too much publicity to such places of ill repute. Thankfully, our uniformed boys and girls are welcomed with open arms into most Israeli establishments, and rightly so. I am reluctant to blame outsiders for influencing what Israelis feel about the army and its activities. You are right to express concern about the increasing lack of belief and criticism of our military and our boys in green. One would think that living in Israel allows all Israelis to understand the importance of the job that the army does, and to give respect where it is due.

I have two further points that I wish to add on this subject:
1. No institution the size of the IDF can hope to exist without renegades who behave badly or bring the organisation into disrepute. This should not be confused for bad behaviour on the part of the IDF. I am happy that the IDF investigates such incidents in the public eye and assesses and punishes individuals who behave against its orders accordingly.
2. The incidence of Israelis criticising the IDF remains, relatively speaking, fairly small. The number of high school students who are committed and proud to undertake their military service in defence of Israel and the Jewish people, and the number of these kids who volunteer for fighting units remains incredibly high. This, for me, is a much more important measure than the isolated examples that you mention.

I would not bother to picket the cinemas or the restaurants for fear of bringing too much publicity to such places of ill repute. Thankfully, our uniformed boys and girls are welcomed with open arms into most Israeli establishments, and rightly so.

]]> By: Shimona http://www.israelsituation.com/2010/03/when-having-a-strong-army-is-a-disadvantage/comment-page-1/#comment-1502 Shimona Sun, 21 Mar 2010 13:44:56 +0000 http://www.israelsituation.com/?p=2112#comment-1502 The thing that really worries me is the number of ISRAELIS who have bought into all this Politically Correct rubbish, especially amongst academics. I don't really care what the world thinks of us any more - but when WE stop believing in ourselves and buy into the New Left garbage, when WE allow pubs/restaurants to prohibit entry to soldiers in IDF uniform and don't shut them down or at least boycott them, when taxpayers' money is used to fund films that portray the IDF as a terrorist army and WE don't picket the cinemas that show them - that worries me a great deal. The thing that really worries me is the number of ISRAELIS who have bought into all this Politically Correct rubbish, especially amongst academics. I don’t really care what the world thinks of us any more – but when WE stop believing in ourselves and buy into the New Left garbage, when WE allow pubs/restaurants to prohibit entry to soldiers in IDF uniform and don’t shut them down or at least boycott them, when taxpayers’ money is used to fund films that portray the IDF as a terrorist army and WE don’t picket the cinemas that show them – that worries me a great deal.

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