In a heated debate in the War Cabinet on Tuesday, Ministers Ben-Gvir and Regev demanded that the IDF chief of staff understand how to deal with soldiers who chanted "Shema Yisrael" at a mosque in Jenin, and even demanded that he pledge not to remove them from office.
reservists reading the Shema at a mosque in Jenin; IDF: Contrary to Orders
General Toledano replied to Regev that he had already told her that the soldiers would not be dismissed. Regev said in response: I wanted to make sure that other things had been published. Ben-Gvir also joined the exchange and said that the handling and preoccupation with the incident had been "inflated."
In a video released last week, IDF soldiers were documented singing the Shema in a mosque in Jenin during an activity. After the video was published, the IDF decided to keep the soldiers away from operational activity. The video drew condemnations and stormy reactions. Jordan was quick to issue a condemnation of the incident, calling it a provocation: "We strongly condemn the ongoing Israeli incursions into the Jenin refugee camp and the Israeli occupation's soldiers' invasion of the mosque and the observance of Talmudic ceremonies through its amplifiers. Behavior that expresses a clear provocation."
She asked to verify. Minister Miri Regev, Photo: Dudi Vaknin
The Chief Rabbi of Israel, Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef Shlita, sent a letter to the Chief Rabbi of the IDF, Rabbi Eyal Krim, explaining how IDF soldiers should behave when they arrive at mosques and Palestinian homes: "Anything that is not a combat necessity should not be provoked, looted or vandalized, especially when it comes to matters of religion."
"It must be explained to these soldiers that the religious feelings of members of other religions should not be offended," the rabbi said, adding: "The people of Israel are a people of virtue and do not behave like the deeds of those murderers who slaughtered, did not compassionately, looted, corrupted and desecrated everything that is holy and dear to us. Therefore, we must exercise caution and refrain from actions that are useless to the fighting and cause damage to the people of Israel and its image in the world."
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