The IDF is moving slowly toward awarding citations and decorations for acts of bravery during the war, following a delayed initiative first reported by ynet. The process has drawn internal criticism within the military over concerns that it could become politically charged and divisive.
Only in recent days has the IDF completed the formation of committees that will determine the parameters and criteria for awarding citations for exceptional conduct by soldiers — and possibly civilians — during the battles to halt the Hamas-led assault on Oct. 7 and during the prolonged ground fighting that followed in the Gaza Strip and in southern Lebanon. Separate processes are expected for military decorations, which include the Medal of Valor, the Medal of Courage and the Medal of Distinguished Service.
More than three months after the war ended, political leaders pressed IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir to initiate the process. Within the military, however, the move has advanced cautiously and remains far from implementation. Committees expected to be appointed in the coming days will be composed of senior officers, including combat commanders, who will first set benchmarks for awarding citations, citing the unprecedented nature of the war and the scale of reported acts of bravery.
The committees are expected to differentiate between actions taken during the Oct. 7 attacks and the first days of fighting, and those carried out during the prolonged ground maneuver in Gaza and operations in southern Lebanon. Different criteria are expected to be set for each phase. The committees will also examine whether and how to award citations to civilians who fought alongside IDF forces, including members of local emergency response squads.
As part of their deliberations, the committees are expected to review precedents from previous wars and recent military operations, including Operation Protective Edge in 2014. In that conflict, citations were awarded about a year after the operation and drew internal criticism, as pressure mounted to expand the list of recipients even after decisions had been finalized.
Only after the criteria are established is the IDF expected to issue a formal call to its units — and possibly to the public — to submit recommendations. That would be followed by lengthy deliberations over eligibility for citations, which are awarded within the military chain of command, up to the authority of the chief of staff. Decorations, by contrast, require approval by the defense minister following military recommendations.
The timing of the official ceremonies has not been decided and is expected to carry symbolic and political implications. Holding ceremonies on Israel’s Independence Day, now less than four months away, is considered too soon. Marking them on the anniversary of the war in the fall is seen as more feasible in terms of scheduling, but senior officers warn it could carry political significance due to its proximity to national elections expected around October, unless they are moved up.
In such a scenario, critics warn, the massive failure that enabled the Oct. 7 massacre could be publicly reframed in a more positive light ahead of voting, potentially blurring accountability for the breakdowns that led to the Hamas-led attack.
At the same time, the IDF is expected to advance another sensitive process, also first reported by ynet: operational debriefings of the ground maneuver in Gaza and Lebanon. Those reviews are expected to address not only achievements but also failures and errors.
Senior officers said they advised Zamir to delay dealing with citations for as long as possible, citing the trauma of the war and concerns over political interference by the civilian leadership. Those concerns stem from other sensitive decisions over the past year that have increased tensions between the IDF’s senior command and political leaders.
Officers also pointed to controversy surrounding what they described as political distinctions made by coalition figures between bereaved families identified with the political right and families demanding a state commission of inquiry that would also examine political responsibility. Some officers fear similar dynamics could influence the awarding of citations.
“We could be drawn into a bad situation,” one senior officer said. “Introducing outside considerations would only damage the process and inject further bitterness and division into the military. Nothing terrible would happen if this were postponed another year or two. During Protective Edge, citations helped paint a failed operation in heroic colors and distorted the narrative.”
Interviews conducted by ynet with field commanders who fought on Oct. 7 found similar reservations at the operational level.
“We rushed in, fought, were wounded or lost heroic soldiers under our command, and there were no shortages of brave moments,” said one battalion commander who deployed with his troops to communities near Gaza when the attack began. “But the sense of failure is still deeply ingrained. I haven’t been asked to recommend citations for my soldiers, and I’m relieved I’m not in that position.”
In a statement, the IDF said that following instructions from the chief of staff, comprehensive staff work has been underway in recent months ahead of establishing committees to award citations and decorations for acts of bravery during the events of Oct. 7 and subsequent fighting in multiple arenas.
“The staff work is ongoing, and the framework for the committees’ activities will be finalized upon its completion,” the statement said.