During the General Staff surprise exercise held this morning (Friday) in the eastern border area, the Chief of the General Staff, LTG Eyal Zamir, spoke with commanders about strengthening the foundations of the military and the importance of the discipline and values upon which it is built.
During the discussion, the Chief of the General Staff emphasized the importance of military discipline and adherence to procedures, noting that these are what keep the IDF strong and professional.
“This is not about one symbol or another symbol", LTG Eyal Zamir said, following his decision to sentence a soldier to a month in military prison for wearing a 'Messiah' patch on his uniform. "It is about the appearance of the IDF and the unity of the IDF. That unity is what connects all of us, and therefore we have the unit insignia and, above all, most importantly, the flag of Israel. The flag of Israel - we are all united around this flag, and we are all prepared to sacrifice and die for this flag. The flag of Israel is the flag to which we swore allegiance. It is a Jewish, Zionist, and Israeli symbol".
"We must understand that the path to victory goes through a disciplined, competent, and well-trained military", he added, "with fighting spirit and a very strong sense of mission. That is the IDF, this is how we build the IDF, and this is how we will continue strengthening the IDF even during this very demanding period".
"I want to tell you something else in this context", LTG Eyal Zamir continued. "Ben-Gurion said that discipline for an army is like air for breathing - it does not need to be explained. Therefore, I tell you that this matter of discipline, order, and organization begins with the smallest details, and it is part of our ability to function efficiently and effectively, and part of our ability to fulfill our mission".
"We have a strong and high-quality command structure", he added, "one that has self-confidence, believes in itself, and leads the IDF forward in the face of our enormous challenges. The IDF, thanks to its heroic troops and its high-quality commanders, is a victorious military".
"Our test comes precisely during a period in which we have already been at war for more than two and a half years", the Chief of Staff concluded, "Two and a half years - that is unprecedented. Therefore, the test of mission, values, norms, and discipline is expressed specifically during wartime, and it is precisely there that we need to be especially strict on these matters, otherwise the framework could fall apart."