The IDF didnt ask the soldiers not to eat at all just not to do it in their faces. They are fasting. Why would you want to make things needlessly more difficult for them? Come on, people, this has nothing to do with palestinians or war and everything to do with being decent human beings.

this gesture is for pals in the WB, not israeli arabs. israeli arabs will still be seeing all the jews eating and drinking, they know we dont give a damn about ramadan. and no, for the most part, israeli arabs dont drive on yom kippur, and all the channels on tv are off. but the WB is different. theres no need to push it in their faces. will it change anything between us? probably not, but its still a rather simple gesture, its not asking to pray towards mecca or anything. i have served in the WB, the pals there feel they are occupied, at the very least, lets not antagonize them- and i say this not out of fear of them at all, but out of human decency and the understanding that needlessly fanning the flames will lead to nowhere good.

How dare you make such accusations against those Talkbackers here who are tired of appeasing our neighbors who don't even agree with our existence. We tried the peace route and were re-paid with horrible consequences. Despite the booming economy in 2000, Pals threw it away to kill a Jew. Israeli business owners who circumvented the law to keep Pal employees were often repaid with an attack by the very employee they tried to help. If there was a time when Pals were peaceful and Israel screwed it up, we'd be the first to admit it. But 90 years of vitriolic racism from Arabs and several wars of extermination do not just go away because you wish it will. You can live in your own Leftist world where you believe if you just give in, all will be ok, and I'll live in reality where - a very different culture and religion thinks and acts differently than the Western mentality and must be dealt with in this manner. At no time ever have Arabs been appeased or become friendly based on Western ideals of democracy and equality. The faster people like you realize this, the faster we can get to real peace. Until then, you're just a horrific part of the problem that even Pals are beginning to recognize. Go trip out at an ecstasy bar in Namal Tel Aviv and let the rest of us tend to the world at hand.

In Western countries this is considered child-endangerment and is punishable by law. In Arabs countries, this is more than acceptable, it's business as usual, which people like you claiming it's their right based in Intl law. Just disgusting!

Peoples' religious practices are THEIR business and should not determine the behaviors and habits of others. It is not rude to eat in public just because others choose to fast. From what I've read on Ynet when the shoe has been on the other foot, some Arab Muslims have behaved very inconsiderately on Jewish holidays. Every time Jews or Christians attempt to accomodate Muslim sensibilities, the Muslims act like they're entitled to special treatment and then turn around and refuse to extend the same sympathy toward others. I personally believe that it is not disrespectful. If you're damned if you do and damned if you don't, you might as well be true to your own beliefs and let others take responsibility for theirs.

It only seems decent if the other party appreciates the gesture, rather than feels that they're entitled to special accomodation. Decency is as decency does.

...they see it as deference. Jews should be free in Israel to be who they are and not cater to those who never show respect to anyone. Solders should rise up and say piss off to the jackasses who came up with this!!

of your anus. It is not Israelis that are stealing money from the parasite palis. It is their leaders! We owe the moslems no respect as they respect no other religions.

and don't forget that the high rates of criminality among muslims are caused by Jews... and that is our fault if muslim men used to enslave their wives.

The talkbacks are Ynet are sickening. As an ex IDF officer, let me tell you that the very same orders exist and are observed regarding Jewish holidays. You're NOT allowed to eat chometz in Passover in an IDF base, not matter what your religion is (or if you have none). You're also not allowed to eat in public on Yom Kippur. Since those Pals didn't ask for our presence there, the least the IDF can do is show some respect. So don't smoke and eat next to them - big deal. Who cares about what THEY reciprocate with - take responsibility over yourselves. Shame on the racist talkbackers here. Makes me sick to think I served for people like you. I wonder how many of you actually did anything for this country.

arabs in israel are showing so little respect for the jews that they feel they can slaughter a father in front of his wife and daughter on a tel aviv beach, they can ride an atv over a 9 year olf jewish girls head on our holiest day of yom kippur last year, terrorists have their homes remain standing but jews have theirs ripped down though our ancestors were here 4000 years ago and left a huge jewish footprint on this land. You are ashamed of us? Look in the mirror man, when was the last time you saw jews look for an arab family picnicking on the beach and murdering hom with their bare hands? Jpost article cited that 45% of all murders are committed by arab males who represent only 10 % of the population. You sir need to check your facts before posting.

Pals are not all united in being crazy, rabid warmongers, and neither are Israelis. There are harmful, destructive people among both peoples, and they provide ample things to point at whenever one group of hawks wants to say peace is impossible. If we could just get both sets of hawks, Jewish-Israeli and Arab, to be quiet and go away, maybe peace would be possible.

the Arabs DID ask for the IDF's presence in Judea and Samaria when they started a war which they subsequently lost. We can also flip the argument around and say that the Jews didn't ask for their presence there either. The fact of the matter is, however, that Jews are now the power-brokers in the region regardless of who wanted what. If the Arabs would be willing to follow through with what they agreed to at Oslo and if the Arabs' actions didn't necessitate Jewish presence in Judea and Samaria, this discussion wouldn't even be taking place. Israel has long paid too high a price for Arab aggression, so why does the Israeli government now up the ante by forcing Jewish soldiers to comply with Islamic Sharia? From the perspective of an outside observer, what purpose does Zionism serve if Jews can't be "Am hofshi beartzeynoo"?

Number 71, everything you say is correct however number 70 is also correct we are morally superior and must behave so

You are a big fat impostor dreaming of controlling freaks that bother your sanity! I can't understand how disgusting this can get to, you were munching blackberries on a street in riyad on an august day? i believe you were pretending it was ramadan to make your story viable isn't it? Well to begin with Ramadan hasn't been in August since 36 yrs ago! now your second lie, 'La akul" means nothing in arabic, you just pretend to know something in arabic...next lie, you gesticulated to him with one of your fingers and told him to shove it, and he got the message! Where? in Riyad? or your dreams? Man you only wish you could do that in Riyad, you are such a silly silly, very silly person! You don't need to refrain from eating , however, next time show us some sense, because honestly with your pathetic talkback, a person like you wouldn't be able to gain any sort of credibility.

What the hell next? Why doesn't the IDF bake a cake for the palis as a "goodwill gesture". LOL! Talk about the IDF really going down the tube!

No! This time the foolish Barak is not the culprit. It is none other than Ashkenazi. The one that gives the IDF orders to kill. My, my, I wonder what it is like to live with two faces!

but do Jews' stores do the same?

Jason, you obviously have an anal fixation. Today less than 100 trucks into Gazaz with supplies for Ramadan. If the IDF is so brave and moral, why don't they escort/ drive the trucks into Gaza to where they are needed, and distribute the supplies themselves? That way a lot more trucks could bring supplies into Gaza. Or is it that Israel wants things left just the way they are in Gaza. Come on Jason, tell the truth................

There is no excuse for the comments being made here. While I do not disagree with the level of disrespect shown to Jews, and Israelis specifically, by a large part of the Arab world, it should not change our level of respect for others. At the end of the day, our values should not be compromised on the basis of the poor behavior of our enemies.

anyway, if you really wanted to ease things up, access to the dome of the rock and aqsa would be nice. every year during ramadan, people from all oer the country try to get through the checkpoints to just pray one prayer there, not to ention on the 27th.... thanks anyway, i "know" ya'll meant the best. not to eat infornt o fasters....man, starting from the 4th grade and up, i was sitting in the middle of luchrooms, christmas, end of the year, honor roll, etc parties while fasting and i didnt go home crying because someone ate, smoe or drank infront of me...lol...what does the govt think we are... not eating, drinking and smoking isnt easy, esp. in this heat. i doubt the sldiers are dandy about this whole shinanigans.