The Chief of the General Staff Lt. Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi during his speech. Photo: IDF Spokesperson

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“We want a democratic, equal and honorable society, a society that is based on values of patience and human dignity that gives all of its members the possibility to grow, to progress and to give equal opportunities,” remarked the Chief of the General Staff, Lt. Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi on Wednesday night (Aug 12) at the graduation ceremony of the Command and Headquarters Course. In his speech he referred to the currently discovered incidents of abuse and mistreatment of IDF soldiers by other soldiers and commanders. In a number of incidents, soldiers and commanders held “welcoming” ceremonies for new soldiers where they physically and verbally mistreated soldiers. The incidents are currently being investigated and the responsible soldiers tried in the IDF.

Lt. Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi condemned the incidents in the sharpest of terms. “We are talking about severe incidents including physical as well verbal attacks, swear words, intimidation and abuse of the authority and trust placed upon them, it is a failure in terms of command and values.” He also reminded the fresh graduates that it was up to them as senior commanders to investigate their units and extinct all phenomena of that kind. “Even though these incidents do not testify for the majority and do not mirror the image of the IDF and its commanders, their gravity forces us all to verify ourselves, to deal with the issue within all our parts, and to prevent all unacceptable and criminal behavior of that kind, through continuous and steady activities of education, explanation, imposition and if necessary also punishment. There is no other way.”

Conclusively, the Chief of the General Staff emphasized the fact that the IDF is also an important body in Israeli society and has a responsibility towards it: “The trust of the public in the IDF is the main provision we have in our bags, during every mission and at all times. It is a value placed in our custody and we may not erode it. We depend on that trust and we will work for its persistency.”