____________________________________________ 2 IICC Perspectives The IDF has a distinct ethical identity which should guide the conduct of every commander and every soldier in every military situation. The IDF has the same principles as does every military organization: adherence to the mission, professionalism, discipline and comradeship, but the IDF also has unique ethical principles which guide its actions and defend human dignity, namely, preserving life and maintaining “purity of arms”. The IDF's principles should be expressed both by the organization which is the state's military arm, and by each individual soldier and commander when undertaking military actions and acting as the IDF's representatives. Loyalty to the principles of the State of Israel and of the IDF are of extreme importance in all combat situation, especially because the enemies the IDF and their combatants do not share its values, neither in general nor individually. The differences between the enemy's values and principles of conduct and those followed by the state and the IDF have to be strictly observed so that enemy norms influence neither the identity of the State of Israel nor of the IDF. Israel is currently fighting an enemy who disregards all moral principles, whether of democracy, restraint, the just war theory or accepted practices of compassion and human dignity. The circumstances of the confrontation create a danger that we night exempt ourselves from following our own principles, and our desire for revenge might be suggested by the enemy's behavior. Only a clear construct of the values and principles which guide the actions of those who wear the IDF uniform and the successful implementation of its values can protect our identity from the enemy's influence. Justifying Israel's actions War is complex, with various elements which demand moral scrutiny and evaluation, each of them individually. The first is war's very existence, the decision to wage it in a complex system of military operations. The decision to go to war means sending soldiers to carry out dangerous operations, and it has to be morally justified. The Iron Swords War began as a war of self-defense. Israeli civilians, soldiers and guest workers were attacked and massacred by the forces of terrorist organizations whose objectives were murder, rape, abduction to Gaza and physical damage and material destruction on an unprecedented scale. It was an attack on the State of Israel itself and its goal was to take control of areas and attack deep within its territory. The surprise attack on Israel, October 7th, 2023 (Source – Wikipedia)
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