Leading Leftist commentator slams IDF for punishing soldier for not shaking
Halutz's hand

Aaron Lerner Date: 7 May 2006

Leading Leftist commentator, Gideon Levy, slammed the decision to punish
Sergeant Hananel Dayan for refusing to shake hands with the chief of staff
at the traditional ceremony for outstanding soldiers at the President's
Residence in a column published in today's Hebrew edition of Haaretz titled
"Army of the People or Army of the COS"
www.haaretz.co.il/hasite/pages/ShArtPE.jhtml?itemNo=713011&contrassID=2&subContrassID=21&sbSubContrassID=0

Dayan, who has family that was removed from Gush Katif, saluted COS Halutz
at the ceremony but declined to shake his hand.

"Sergeant Hananel Dayan, a settler from Psagot, may not be a "Hero of
Israel", as the extreme right activist Baruch Marzel termed him, but he is
a brave soldier who is worthy of esteem... Dayan was removed from his
brigade. Such is done in the banana republic to those who don't shake the
hand of the COS.The IDF cannot stand soldiers who think. And certainly not
soldiers who express their thoughts and even protest legally - also in the
IDF there is no order that obligates shaking the hand of the COS .If the IDF
was an organization that was a little more open it would encourage soldiers
that think otherwise, and despite that fulfill all the orders and even excel
in their service, as Sergeant Dayan...The greatest danger now facing the IDF
is that it will be composed only of soldiers that are automatons.

Dr. Aaron Lerner, Director IMRA (Independent Media Review & Analysis)
(Mail POB 982 Kfar Sava)
Tel 972-9-7604719/Fax 972-3-7255730
INTERNET ADDRESS: imra@netvision.net.il
Website: http://www.imra.org.il