make us proud to be israeli, thanks. Every israeli who died for Israel is equivalent to any other one, independently of color of skin, tradition, ethnic background, religion, sex etc. They are all of them our heroes. We owe them so much wherever they come from.

The Chief of Staff did right The family did right The story is closed. (No 2 you may stand down)

anyone who dies for Israel is one hundred percent a jew and an Israeli.

We Jews are "chosen" in life and in death, even if that death is a result of sacrifice for the sake of the nation and those left to continue. Words fail me to decribe the injustice and indeed the immorality of such behaviour which is motivated by people whose minds are afflicted and whose values are a result of that affliction.

and pleasing to read of public uproar to honour the fallen soldier and to ensure that those soldiers who lay down their lives to defend the country are properly remembered.

...Lately there was a rush of apologies: from the one to the Turkish nazi PM, to and from members of the Israeli gvmt. on various issues, now this - makes me doubt the sincerity of such serious actions in favor of political correctness...:(:(

I fail to see what political correctness has to do with this. General Gantz insulted a fallen IDF soldier and his family because he had the "wrong" mother. The public cried out against this injustice and Gantz did the obvious. He apologized and changed the protocol so this horrible act will never occur again.

Gantz has to follow the standard procedures, until he is allowed not to. This is a great step in the right direction, as there is too much nit-picking about who is and who is not Jewish--and we've all read about it. The ultra-orthodox are not the rulers of The Land. They have a place in society, but they are taking the place of the men of Israel, and it is ridiculous. Those who would be acceptable to Ben-Gurion, etc. are in no way acceptable to the thieves. So--what? We should listen to the thieves? As the State was in the early stages, the original vision was clouded and those who were busy building and defending left some of the hard and complicated questions to those who were NOT busy building and defending. Now we have this issues of "no flags" for those who (the non-busy non-builders) say aren't Jewish "enough." My opinion is since they won't step forward to serve then THEY'RE not Jewish enough.

Give him two flags and see thy brethren come with all the blessing.

Not even a Jew and gives his life for Jews. If flags matter he should get two flags. One for Ephraim and One for Manasseh.

We don't really have control over who the Lord chooses. In the human terms when one dies as non Jew for while fighting for a Jew he can be saved as Ephraim and Manasseh. That our Lord not be dissatisfied with the people. Its a simple gesture that does not need approval from the rebbe.

So the Druze soldiers are Jews?

rity had so much influence over who was to be honored as a "fitting" fallen is simply blood-boiling! If not for the "public" outcry this ugliness would've continued without military( or otherwise) protests. There's no kudos here to be dealt to Gantz, sorry!

Question : If the soldier was not Jewish, under what law was he inscripted into the Army, as the law for compulsory army service covers only Jews, Druze and Circassians ? If he was Jewish to join the army then he should have been Jewish when he died.

Shame this non Jew through his life away coming to Israel. He never belonged in Israel, he was not wanted in Israel and should never have died in Israel. Every non Jewish immigrant should realize it was a mistake to come to Israel and go home where they can live happy and healthy lives.

4 you will need to rethink your comment.

Actually, in Yad Vashem we call Goyim that died while fighting for Jews Righteous Among the Nations. Why is there any difference in our times? I am apalled by the open racism in Israel, the institutionalized rasism. Where I live, religion is a private matter - being a citizen is all it takes to hold a passport and it is noted anywhere whether or not this person is Jewish, Christian, Muslem or anything else. Actually, noting a person's denomination - in Israel religion also means, pardon my French - 'race' - brings at least my thoughts back to times when Nazis made sure 'race' was stamped in Jews' passports... How can, of all countries, Israel, practise this? How would the Jewish community react if the for instance the American flag was put on only Christian American soldiers' graves?' Sorry mate, your religion lets you be a soldier and die for our land, but we won't honour you if you die!?' What would we call that? I didn't hear? Say again? Racism. Discrimination. Isn't that Un-Kosher? And isn't this kind of racism exactly what Jews have suffered under for thousands of years? Time has come to take a look at ourselves. Everything isn't only all right. Some things should be changed.

A spineless apparatchik that didn't have the balls to stand up for his fallen soldier facing an orthodox stupid definition of kosher Jew ,...

He, the fallen soldier is still on the other side of the fence designated for Jews only cemetery, and what's worst as a result of policy, brainless pinhead ,...