Finance Minister Smotrich Backs Soldiers Who Refused Paramedic Deployment

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has publicly supported soldiers from the Golani Brigade who were court-martialed for refusing to board an armored personnel carrier with a female paramedic. Smotrich stated that the soldiers "insisted on their right and duty to serve in the IDF, while preserving their values and faith and adhering to the order of proper integration."

He expressed hope that the IDF would "come to its senses" and declared he could not "sit idly by," vowing to demand answers from the military. Smotrich criticized the IDF for what he termed a "misguided decision" to confront the "most serving and contributing public," asserting that such actions would only cause damage and erode public trust in the army.

The soldiers' refusal to participate in an operation led to the cancellation of a military activity in the Gaza Strip.