Ben-Gvir Proposes Overhauling IDF Ethics Code, Replacing 'Purity of Arms'
Translated & summarized from Arutz Sheva by baba
Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir announced a plan to change the IDF's ethical code, replacing "Purity of Arms" with "Justice of Arms." The proposal redefines the IDF's mission as achieving victory over enemies and emphasizes Jewish values. It also removes restrictions on using force and harming non-combatants, incorporating the principle "He who comes to kill you, rise early to kill him."
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir plans to change the IDF's ethical code if appointed Defense Minister.
- The proposed change replaces "Purity of Arms" with "Justice of Arms."
- The new ethical code would prioritize "victory and the defeat of enemies."
- The plan emphasizes Jewish morality and defines the IDF as a "Jewish army."
- The "Justice of Arms" principle includes "He who comes to kill you, rise early to kill him."
- The proposal removes directives on using only necessary force and protecting non-combatants.
Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir has outlined a plan to significantly alter the Israel Defense Forces' (IDF) ethical code, "The Spirit of the IDF," should he be appointed Minister of Defense in a future government. A central proposal involves replacing the concept of "Purity of Arms" with "Justice of Arms." Ben-Gvir's plan redefines the IDF's primary mission as "victory and the defeat of the enemies of the State of Israel and the people of Israel," alongside safeguarding national security and its citizens. The proposed changes also emphasize strengthening the Jewish component of the ethical code, drawing on Jewish morality, biblical texts, and Hebrew law. The IDF would be defined as "the people's army, a Jewish army, a state army." The new "Justice of Arms" principle would explicitly incorporate the maxim, "He who comes to kill you, rise early to kill him." The proposal also removes phrases instructing soldiers to use force "only to the extent necessary" and prohibitions against harming "non-combatants" and prisoners. The mention of "universal moral values" is also absent from Ben-Gvir's proposed text. Other values like "love of the people and the land" and "human dignity" remain, with the latter affirming that "all people have value regardless of origin, religion, nationality, gender, status, and role." The IDF is to be subordinate to the law and the government, with soldiers prioritizing "only the mission, IDF values, and the security of the state" with integrity and objectivity.
