Rabbis Demand Release of Soldiers Refusing to Serve with Female Medics

Prominent Religious Zionist rabbis, organized under the "Torat Ha'aretz HaTova" association, have publicly backed soldiers who refused to board an armored personnel carrier with a female paramedic for an operation in the Gaza Strip. The rabbis are demanding the immediate release of five soldiers who were sentenced to 10 days in military prison for their refusal, while 11 others received five-day sentences. Their insubordination led to the cancellation of an operational activity in Gaza, and some soldiers will face an assessment board before returning to combat.

In a letter published Wednesday, the rabbis, including Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu of Safed and former Chief Rabbi Yaakov Ariel, argued that the IDF's handling of the "joint service order" undermines the army's foundations. They stated that the order is intended to allow observant soldiers to serve fully according to Jewish tradition, and that sending female medics or combatants into units with religiously observant soldiers violates this directive. The rabbis asserted that this conduct erodes trust between soldiers and their commanders.

After investigating the facts, the rabbis concluded the soldiers "acted properly." They explained that the unit's rabbi was absent during the incident, and the order was given by a commander whose soldiers' trust had already been damaged by previous incidents, including training on Shabbat. The soldiers reportedly consulted their yeshiva dean and acted according to his halachic ruling.

The rabbis' statement follows a meeting with Defense Minister Israel Katz, in whom they express confidence that he understands the issue's importance and will act to implement necessary policy changes. They highlighted that these are front-line soldiers who have risked their lives in Gaza and on the Lebanon border.

Separately, Israel's Chief Rabbi, Kalman Meir Bar, also wrote to the Defense Minister and IDF Chief of Staff regarding the soldiers' prosecution. He urged consideration of the broader public implications and emphasized the importance of "unwritten codes" and "sanctity of the camp" for religious soldiers, questioning why their needs regarding religious observance are not accommodated as they were in the IDF's early days.