Chief of the General Staff's Address to the IDF

“The IDF’s purpose has not changed over the course of the past 75 years—to defend the State of Israel, ensure its existence and achieve victory in times of war. The IDF was established in a time of crisis, out of a necessity to ensure the existence of the State of Israel. This need has not changed to this day. The strength of the IDF lies in the quality of its service members, the high level of readiness for war and .internal and external unity

As we begin a complex week, I would have liked to address the need for a high level of readiness due to the current situational assessment; I would have liked to address the subject of safety, following difficult incidents that have occurred recently, however certain urgent matters outweigh other important ones.

I would like to talk to you about the importance of unity and our readiness in times of dispute. We have tried to stay out of the current discourse, but given its current prominence in Israeli society, we got caught up in it and our unity was impaired. It is our duty to prevent these cracks from widening.

I will not address the essence of this dispute in Israeli society; it is legitimate. The role of the IDF is to defend the State of Israel so that— among other things—we are able to handle disputes under safe conditions. When a dispute spills over into the ranks of the IDF, and cracks begin to emerge, an infantry soldier might make the mistake of thinking that an IAF pilot will not assist him because of this dispute. An IAF pilot might make the mistake of thinking that it is possible to not prepare and maintain the necessary combat readiness—when in practice—it might soon be necessary. These are dangerous cracks.
We were trained on the ideals of comradery; on land, in the air and at sea. Remember the fighter pilots in the Yom Kippur War, 50 years ago, who flew at a low altitude in order to assist ground forces—some of them did not alter their course even after they were hit. Remember them today, the pilots who went in 17 years ago to evacuate the wounded, while risking their lives, in the Second Lebanon War. Think of ground forces soldiers, who witness a pilot carrying out an emergency mid-flight evacuation in enemy territory; the forces will do everything in their power to maneuver, reach, and rescue them before the enemy arrives. Just three weeks ago, our combat helicopter pilots descended to a very low altitude in order to assist IDF Ground Forces with injured soldiers in the Jenin Camp.
The pilots were so intent on assisting the ground forces that they lowered their flight path beyond the designated safe limits in order to identify the enemy. We will always operate together, help each other, and above all—protect Israel’s civilians. These ideals have always been clear, and we will continue to maintain them. Even if there are disputes, unity is a sacred value.
Service in the IDF is both a duty and a great privilege, whether it be in active duty and in the reserve forces. If we don’t have a strong and united defense force, if Israel’s best do not serve in the IDF, we will no longer be able to exist as a country in the region.
Therefore, no service members have the right to say that they will no longer serve, nor do they have the right to not report for duty or refuse an order. I call on all reservists, even in these complex days, to separate civil protests from reporting for duty to the security services. The calls to not report for duty harm the IDF and its readiness.

Our reservists are very dear to us and they greatly contribute to Israel’s security. I appreciate everyone, even those who have made difficult decisions with a heavy heart, and signed with a trembling hand that they will not report for duty; I call on them to return to service.

The criticism towards this decision of some of the reserve personnel should be expressed with respect, without forgetting all that they have done for our country, for us and with us.

These days, almost two thousand years after the destruction of the Second Temple, the IDF is strong thanks to its people, its capabilities, and above all, thanks to its values—the values of the IDF Code of Conduct, according to which we operate and will continue to operate in the future. We don't have other service members, and we don't have another IDF.

It is never too late to correct this. We must mend this situation, for there is no other way without internal and external unity. This is all of our responsibility and first and foremost it is my personal responsibility as Chief of the General Staff. This is the only way we can maintain the IDF's purpose: to protect the country and ensure its existence.”