Are celebrity soldiers equal?
Israeli teen pop star joins army, but fellow recruits claim she gets special treatment
Just one day after private Roni “Superstar” Duani, one of the country’s biggest teen pop music idols, enlisted in the army, her fellow recruits contend she is receiving special treatment from commanding officers.
The recruits say she is not partaking in daily tasks the other girls are obligated to perform.
“She does not perform guard or kitchen duty, and she is even permitted to shower alone,” said one recruit.
Prior to boarding a bus Wednesday that would transport the 18-year-old Duani to a boot camp base in the south, she said: “I hope to be treated like everyone else.”
Her father, Rami, said, “I'm not worried about Roni, neither physically nor mentally. She’s strong. I hope she won’t be harassed socially.”
But a source from the IDF Spokesman’s Office said the superstar is treated just like any other new recruit.
“So as not to obstruct the (military) base’s daily routine and prevent crowd gatherings, the soldier (Duani) does not perform guard duty in the front gate and does not perform kitchen duty,” the source said.
“Instead, she performs guard duty within the
base’s inner-confines, as well as other alternate tasks.”
A military source said Duani does clean the latrines, and that “every soldier who asks to shower in private may receive authorization from his or her commanding officers.”
This is not the first time an Israeli celebrity serving in the army has been given permission to shower in private. Blonde bombshell Yael Bar-Zohar complained during her service that people were “peeking” at her while she showered and asked for permission to shower alone.
Unlike many teenage celebrities who reach the age of recruitment, Duani has not attempted to dodge army service.
Originally from Rishon Letzion, she burst onto the music scene in 2003 with a catchy Hebrew rendition to the Danish hit, “Superstar.” In 2004 she released her successful debut album, “A whole world out there.”
