This story took place in the middle between two cities.
The so-called data are similar, the laws are apparently the same, the deeds too.
But the result is different as if it were two parallel universes.
The first city is Hebron, where a few weeks ago a fighter from the Givati Brigade, who was subject to provocation and taunting, momentarily lost his head and broke into a political monologue in front of the taunts.
The images were broadcast over and over again on the television channels, the fighter was insulted and cursed, and all the imaginary ills that supposedly contaminate Israeli society were placed on his shoulders.
The second incident was revealed yesterday and took place in the warm and pleasant base of the IDF spokesperson in Tel Aviv, where soldiers from the unit raised their own political statements from the safe and sterile office or residence, and failed exactly where a Givat fighter failed.
"Good Souls" made sure to expose the political expression of the young speakers, this received partial coverage at most, and the army's response to the common sin was also different: while the fighter, who expressed remorse for his actions, was tried and sent to ten days of imprisonment, which were softened after a few days - The IDF spokesperson received a much lighter sentence, and three of them were tied up at their base for six days. The fighter reported for the morning count, the spokespersons were allowed to continue to roam freely.
The fighter was forced to comply with the conditions of the bandage and be content with the prison diet, the speakers may have struggled with what they would order via Walt for lunch.
The warrior lost as a result of the trial that was held for him some of the rights he earned in hard and abrasive service, the speakers will be released without harm, a slight blow to the wing.
Even the Chief of Staff's attitude was different: following the incident in Hebron, Lt. Col. Kochavi released a letter in which he detailed how much things hurt the IDF. The Tel Aviv incident led to right-wing attacks on the soldiers of the IDF spokesman and unnecessary and ugly insults to the IDF spokesman himself , Ran Kochav.
The Chief of Staff called out and claimed that any injury to an IDF officer is a erosion of the strength of the army.
Ral Kochavi did not see the need to defend the fighter in this way, certainly did not back him up and did not make it clear that even if he failed he deserved to be protected and understood, certainly in light of the severity of his actions which were expressed in words only.
The gap between Hebron and Tel Aviv is infuriating, and raises a feeling that political statements are considered invalid in direct relation to their content.
The fighter failed in making political statements to the right and was brought to justice;
The IDF spokesman's men who fell to the left side were treated with a measure of kindness, with a caressing hand, under air cover by the Chief of Staff himself.
Considerations such as failure during operational activity, in response to provocations that were supposed to stand up to the warrior's right, were not taken into account at all and became a tool against him.
The members of the IDF Spokesperson's Unit did not need easy arguments at all, they are protected: they serve in the right place with soldiers who came from the right place, think in the right way and involved politics from the right side. Between Hebron and Tel Aviv the story is not told of what is allowed and what is not allowed, but who is allowed and who is not allowed, Who will be protected and minimized for his actions and who will be used as a scapegoat: the army of the connected and the righteous and the army of the transparent and the suspicious.
This is a command and public failure that stretches from the chief of staff's office to the private in the recruit base, this is the commander's spirit - and it is the most serious political expression of all.
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