Crossing the line: The Sde Teiman debacle

The events at the Sde Teiman base last week were humiliating on many levels.

The clandestine way the IDF arrived at Sde Teiman and detained the soldiers was offensive. It was humiliating for our soldiers who have sacrificed many months of their lives for the safety of our people. The whole detention procedure should have been done more quietly and behind the scenes to avoid what further polarized an already torn Israeli society.

As for the public reaction, although it is fundamental to recognize the right to demonstrate, the protesters violently breaking into the military base blatantly exceeded this right. This was a direct attack on the IDF and our democracy, not to mention a security risk having to deploy extra forces. Even worse were the actions of certain members of the Knesset (of Likud, Otzma Yehudit and the national religious party) who participated. These MK’s who have been echoing the phrase ביחד ננצח (together we will win) are not above the law and should never have crossed this threshold nor encouraged people to follow their steps. 

Is anarchy and betraying the IDF part of “together we will win?” Together, they are only leading us into the abyss of chaos and national embarrassment.

Protestors at Sde Teiman base
(Photo credit: Menahem Kahana/AFP)

We cannot ignore that many of the people defending the breach of the base claim a double standard. That the public outcry was not the same as when certain judicial reform protesters also crossed the line by not showing up to reserve duty encouraged by current labor party leader Yair Golan. The message is clear: all forms of illegal protest that jeopardize our national security, unity and democratic institutions must be harshly condemned by all. For the sake of our country, we all need the ability to look past political affiliations and condemn what is wrong.

Regarding the allegations about the soldiers, we must have no sympathy for the terrorists who invaded our country, raped our women, tortured our elderly, killed our children and murdered for fun. However, if the accused soldiers are guilty of sexually abusing prisoners, they must be punished according to the laws. These rules that govern the IDF must always be upheld to preserve our morality and legitimacy. Clearly the terrorists should be held under the harshest conditions that Israeli law allows. No soldier should ever be unethical or turn to anarchy and if necessary, prisoners’ conditions must be changed through legislation. In a geographical region of chaos and destruction, our morality is our strength. Our morality allows us to fight this just war. We must not lose ourselves and continue to be a light among nations. It is our only way forward. It is our only path to victory. AM ISRAEL CHAI.