Ashkenazi slams IDF disability allowance reform
IDF chief of staff appears before committee tasked with curbing payments to disabled IDF veterans, says army, Defense Ministry shouldn't distinguish between combat-related, other injuries
IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant-General Gabi Ashkenazi is opposing a planned reform of disabled IDF veterans' allowances, currently being reviewed by a committee headed by retired Justice Uri Goren.
Speaking before the committee Tuesday, Ashkenazi said that one mustn't distinguish between soldiers injured during combat activity and troops hurt under other circumstances.
"They don't choose where to join and what to do. The IDF decides who will go for transport roles, who will serve in the armament division, and who will join the naval special forces," he said.
The army chief stressed that recruits "have no other choice but to enlist and no salary apart from a basic sum...the army bears total responsibility, from the time of enlistment until discharge, and should not differentiate between one injury and the other. This responsibility is all-encompassing."
Ashkenazi noted that he too is a member of the Disabled IDF Veterans organization, having been injured in the past.
"IDF soldiers are subject to moral demands, including sacrificing one's life during service. In this respect the State of Israel and the IDF are obligated to look out for those soldiers even if they are killed or wounded," he said.
'Army's future at stake'
The IDF chief added that the decisions made by the committee will affect not onlysoldiers currently serving in the army, but mainly the future of the IDF and its prospective soldiers.
Referring to reserve troops, Ashkenazi stressed that if they are injured during reserve service the IDF has a duty to support them via the Defense Ministry, since they too are obligated to be at the army's disposal.
He added that the IDF and the Defense Ministry must bear responsibility for career officers, if their injuries are related to their military service.
Haim Bar, chairman of the Disabled IDF Veterans organization welcomed the army chief's statements and stressed that the State of Israel is morally indebted to the veterans.
