The leaders of post-high school Religious Zionist yeshivas are joining the protest measures taken by the heads of hesder yeshivas, throwing their full support behind the soldiers of the Givati Brigade's Rotem Battalion who were sentenced to military prison following an incident in which they refused to enter a Namer armored personnel carrier (APC) in which a female paramedic was present.
The affair was discussed Thursday evening during a special emergency meeting of the heads of the post-high school yeshivas. At the conclusion of the meeting, the rabbis issued a sharply-worded letter stating that punishing soldiers for observing Jewish law, and simply because they consulted their rabbis, constitutes a serious mistake, a disgrace, and a moral stain on the IDF and its leadership.
According to the rabbis, the issue could have been resolved without resorting to disciplinary measures. The rabbis also stressed that sending soldiers to military prison over a halakhic inquiry constitutes disrespect toward Judaism and Jewish tradition, and has caused a major uproar.
In their letter, the rabbis emphasized that the move seriously harms the motivation, fighting spirit, and willingness to volunteer that characterize the Religious Zionist community, while hinting at the possibility of significant long-term consequences.
Contrary to the position presented by the IDF, the rabbis stated, "This is not a disciplinary problem, but rather the soldiers standing up for their rights and their Jewish lifestyle, regarding the fundamental commandments of the sanctity of the camp, the cornerstone of the motivation to go out to the aid of G-d among the mighty in the commandment of war."
The authors of the letter emphasized that the incident was not an act of refusal, but rather an attempt to adhere to IDF regulations in the face of the command echelon's violation of the Joint Service Order.
"This disproportionate punishment constitutes a blow to the spirit of volunteering and fighting, and to every person for whom Jewish tradition and the values of Jewish law are dear to their heart," the rabbis concluded.