'In war and peace.' Ashkenazi
Photo: Yaron Brener
IDF chief vows to uphold ethics code
Referring to recent criticism of soldiers' moral conduct, Ashkenazi tells Naval Officers' Course graduates 'moral, ethical code will continue to guide us'
IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi once again rejected criticism regarding the "moral conduct" of Israeli soldiers and vowed to continue to uphold the army's code of ethics.
Speaking at the 119th Naval Officers' Course graduation ceremony Wednesday evening, Ashkenazi said one of the main challenges the new officers will face is terrorism.
"In recent years the Navy has been engaged in a constant battle against the terror organizations, which consider the sea a possible route to infiltrate the defensive shield that protects the citizens of Israel," said the IDF chief.
"Today, when there is still a debate within the Israeli public regarding the soldiers' moral standards, we must look at the Navy's fighters who protect our beaches despite the risks."
Ashkenazi continued to say, "As IDF chief, I vow to uphold the moral and ethical code according to which we have conducted ourselves for many years. This code will continue to guide us in times of war and in times of peace."
Activist group "Breaking the Silence" recently published testimonies of IDF soldiers who said they were urged by commanders to shoot first and worry later about distinguishing civilians from combatants, prompting the Rabbis for Human Rights organization to call on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak to launch an external investigation into the army's conduct during the recent offensive in Gaza.
