Prime Minister Naftali Bennett accused parties of politicizing the Israeli army, in the wake of the opposition’s campaign following the death of Israeli sniper Barel Hadaria Shmueli by a Gazan on the border two weeks ago.
"A society that does not back its soldiers and commanders, including when they make mistakes, will discover that it has nobody to fight for it," Israeli Army Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Aviv Kohavi wrote in a letter, which was addressed to army commanders.
"Decisions are usually taken in situations of uncertainty, and quickly, therefore there is always the possibility of mistakes being made," the letter read.
He added that it was the Israeli army’s obligation to thoroughly investigate, "to get to the truth and learn the lessons, but mistakes of judgment on the battlefield are not matters for blame and punishment.”
“A society that does not back its soldiers and commanders, including when they make mistakes, will discover that it has nobody to fight for it,” Kohavi wrote in his missive.
Throughout the term of former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (2009 – 2021), Israel has witnessed tension between the ruling right-wing and the military leaders.
Netanyahu said Thursday that the PM didn’t respond to the killing of the soldier, more, he transferred half a billion shekels to the Palestinian Authority.
In an analysis published by Amos Harel in Haaretz, he said that this “is developing into a storm that is undermining the public’s faith in the Israeli military – and could very well push the government into taking steps that will not serve its policies in the Strip.”
During the weekly cabinet session, Bennett said on Sunday that some are trying to use the Israeli army as “a tool to advance cynical political goals.”
“I know that while making decisions at an operational level, there are sometimes mistakes, and sometimes they are painful and difficult,” the prime minister said.
