A recent video surfaced on social media filmed in the buffer zone near the border, near one of the new posts that the army is establishing in the Gaza Strip. During the recording, one of the soldiers is seen reading from the Megilla in an exposed position, shouting “Haman” – while at the same time shots are heard from his comrades. The soldier, who chose to forgo a bulletproof vest and helmet in favor of a simple shirt and a clown hat, put himself in danger when he violated the safety procedures required by the IDF in this operational environment.
In fact, the reserve soldiers were not content with the private documentation of the event, but uploaded the video to social media with their faces visible to all, in a way that puts them at risk under international law and exposes them to criminal proceedings.
The IDF Spokesperson’s Office responded by stating that the commanders recognized the incident immediately upon its disclosure, and the soldiers – along with the platoon commander – were removed from the Gaza Strip. “The behavior of the soldiers as seen in the video is not consistent with the values of the army and the mandatory operational guidelines,” the official statement said, emphasizing that disciplinary action in the matter will continue.
The company commander was dismissed from his position, the platoon commander received a disciplinary reprimand, and an additional nine soldiers were dismissed from combat duties and sentenced to 28 days of confinement.
We assume that the soldiers did what they did as a protest against the “Ethical Code” of the IDF which puts the lives of enemy civilians above the lives of Israeli soldiers and Israeli civilians.
Here is a link to the controversial hebrew video at https://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/israel-news/2376123/idf-disciplinary-actions-issued-over-purim-gunfire-incident-in-gaza.html
In this light vilnagaon.org reposts a video by Menachem Gottlieb on refusing orders & Why David Believed that Uriah Was A Rebel Against the Kingdom?
Source: https://vilnagaon.org/media/refusing2.mp4
II Shmuel/Samuel 11:11 states: Uriah answered David, “The Ark and Israel and Judah are located at Succoth, and my master Joab and Your Majesty’s men are camped in the open; how can I go home and eat and drink and sleep with my wife? As you live, by your very life, I will not do this!”
Rashi to tractate Shabbat 56a held that the act David considered to be rebelliousness, was the fact that he called Yoav/Joab his master in the presence of King David. Yoav/Joab was under the command of King David and it was not the way of the land to give such honor to a subordinate in the presence of the King.
Tosafot brings the opinion of Rabbeinu Meir, that the rebellion was Uriah’s refusal to listen to King David who had told Uriah to go home to eat and drink and sleep with his wife.
Most commentaries follow Rashi’s viewpoint. Menachem Gottlieb in his talk about “Refusing Orders” follows Tosafot.