Ahem, a word or two if you please

[eumelia]

I had this really good entry all thought out, with lots of examples and points and arguments. But all that has seeped out of my brain due to end-of-Semester stress.

See yesterday Army (most of them Air Force) officers traveled around schools all over the country in a joint project with the ministry of education. This project is part of the 60 years to Israel commemorations, celebrations and what not.
At one of the school in which some of these officers came to speak, a demo by New Profile in which they constructed a huge papier mache brain and proceeded to squirt at with soapy water. I thought it was really smart and funny.

I told about it to my brother and mother and was really blown away by their negative responses.
My brother said they were being stupid and my mother asked if the demonstrators don't ask themselves what they can do for Israel.

Ahem.

See, the officers were there to talk about values and meaning of Israeli citizenship and what it means to be a Jewish nation in Israel - according to what I read about the project wasn't about convincing hight school kids that it's better to serve that to evade (which has been, according to the media which is trying to ensue a moral panic, imo, on the rise for the past two years).
I personally think it's wrong for the army to be a presence in schools other to give an overview of the positions available in the IDF and for that to be in after school hours so that it doesn't take over academic times - but that's really optimistic.

I don't believe for a minute that all they spoke about yesterday were "the values of Israeli citizenship" - Army service since the conception of this country has been a formative part of Jewish Israeli Identity (Druze and Bedouin can volunteer for the draft, but it is not mandatory). I'm pretty convinced that they spoke about the fact that to be good citizens they should serve their country through the IDF, that in the IDF they will learn what it means to be a moral, ethical and good Israeli citizen.

I think it's been a long time since the IDF has participated in a War that was solely for the protection of its citizens. All the operations across the borders have been offensive since the 80's and all withdrawals have been unilateral, meaning no agreement was discussed with those whose territory we were leaving. Almost all the operations done on the civilian population in the West Bank (and once Gaza) are defended by saying it's in the name of security are excuses to control said population by fear and humiliation. The soldiers (boys and some girls of 18 and 19, commanded by 20-somethings) are scared and they have guns and they've been taught to hate that little girl in a hijab, or that teenage boy with hate for them in return.
Do I even need to mention the immorality of the collective punishment on Gaza?

A small aside about Gaza: I can talk about the fact that Hamas fires Qassams at innocent people in the West Negev and Sderot, but seeing as the government that is funding this oh so educational project gives less than a shit about those people being fired upon, the less said the better.

I was asked why I don't have sympathy for those soldiers who have to do those horrible things in the name of security. I do. I have a lot of sympathy towards them and the fact that they are serving in an Army that requires them to do such unethical things and that they are educated to view those who are not like them as less-than-human.
Those soldiers traumatize and in turn are traumatized as well.
I wrote about this phenomena not too long ago.
Those soldiers, my soldiers, are ordered to invade other peoples homes in the name of security. They sometimes take food and other electrical supplies from those homes.
Some of them remain silent about what they once they are discharged.
Some of them break through this silence.

I don't believe that the Army does what it is supposed to do and it is because of this that I criticize it, that I feel a reform within its system and the way we, as Israelis, view the function of the military in our lives.
The gun is never a sacred instrument... in Hebrew it is equivalent to male genitalia.
Maybe I'll give a feminist reading of the role of the IDF, it's been done before, but now I've said what I felt had to be said about how I feel about the Army entering schools and talking about civic "values" and "duties".

Comments

[hemlock-sholes.livejournal.com]

A few good examples would have helped this post a lot.

So you have no idea what was said in the schools?
You "don't believe for a minute that all they spoke about yesterday were 'the values of Israeli citizenship'". Your points would be more meaningful if you knew what was being said there.

The occupation is a fact. The army has two choices
1. Perform it's duties as ordered by the civilian leaders of the country. Said duties include keeping the status quo stable.
2. Mutiny.

Are you suggesting that the army mutiny against the lawfully elected government of Israel instead of oppressing the people of the West Bank and Gaza?

What do you expect the Chief of Staff to say? "I'm sorry, but it's against my morals to obey orders?"
Perhaps you'll be happy if Gabi Ashkenazi uses his tanks to conquer the Knesset and then withdraw from the West Bank?

Please present a scenario in which the army does something which you will support.

:)

[eumelia.livejournal.com]

The army lost its last smart man when you left, as far as I'm concerned.

It's the Army's duty to write up security recommendations, right? I think the Army should reconfigure what they say is a security risk in the civilian areas of the west bank, actually discipline soldiers who use excessive force and to devise a military procedure that doesn't include the killing of civilians under the guise of "סכול ממוקד"

[eumelia.livejournal.com]

Also, the image that the majority of Israelis consciousness as meaningful isn't the civil government, but the army.

That is a militarized society, even if it isn't technically military and I think that is not a positive thing. Add to that the army is, as I've said, a platform for identity later in life and it affects employment and education and everything, it gives a distinct advantage to those who served (the capacity also changes the privilege) which creates an automatic disadvantage to those who haven't served.

[makaani.livejournal.com]

funny how we both had experiences with our homeland militaries and then wrote about them today.

[eumelia.livejournal.com]

Funny in disheartening kind of way.

[roga.livejournal.com]

Will just mention that as far as I know, the army is mandatory for Druze. Bedouins might be voluntary. It's also voluntary for Arabs, BTW, a fact I only discovered last year. Not saying it wouldn't be extremely difficult or that everybody'd pass the security clearance, but it's allowed.

[eumelia.livejournal.com]

Even if it is voluntary for Arabs, they wouldn't be drafted because they'd need to go against someone who potentially a relative. This is why all the non-Jews are voluntary, but the Army offers a lot for Druze and Bedouin when it comes to work opportunity in the army while they serve and when they are discharged into civilian life.
And if it's mandatory for Druze, why don't the women get drafted? Or do they do Sherut Leumi like religious girls? Do you know anything about that by any chance?

[roga.livejournal.com]

Nope, don't know anything about the girls. Also, obviously, I know why Arabs aren't lining up to volunteer. But apparently Arabs do sign up every year. Don't know the numbers, though; I looked this up a while ago.

[eumelia.livejournal.com]

Really? Hmmm... where did you look up the numbers, that's a very interesting little skew in the stats.

[eumelia.livejournal.com]

Speaking of the Druze:
http://www.haaretz.co.il/hasite/spages/969288

[nurint.livejournal.com]

Hmm... My brother said they came to his school. When I asked him what they talked about, he answered "army stuff". Didn't really manage to understand from him if they did a "a real Israeli doesn't shirk his duty" angle. Then again, I guess it might be pretty pointless in a special ed school where the vast majority is exempt from service?
I'm still trying to figure out how I feel about the army doing things in their school (they had army events and such in the past). On the one hand, it could be well intentioned, trying to include them in what is still a central experience in the Israeli life. On the other, they're very susceptible to those types of external influences, so I'm not particularly thrilled they only get to hear about the "glorified army".

[daemonfall.livejournal.com]

A common misconception about the Israeli army is that it's some sort of a professional organization. Sure, it has ranks, it has all sorts of tests and not everyone can be an officer. However, the army in Israel, namely the IDF, is an organization that acts more like a tool for the government in order to deal with everything they don't want to encompass inside other departments that are more often scrutinized.
It's not a professional army, in every sense, it employs people which are inapt to their role and is set to achieve goals with are outside of it's scope as a the violent reminder to the vote of the people of said country.

My vote against said arguments for teaching people in school about the glorified army, is that most of that talk doesn't make sure you'll have better soldiers, only more soldiers.
It's good for the ego, but not good for the budged, and even less good for the fightings spirit of those still willing to put their life in the line. In the long run, glorifying the army at school and letting down the place where the real job is done is a lousy way of doing business.

I'm not even getting into whether the army is right or wrong - it's all down to people, since there's no real management here ( definitely not from the government).