Iama IDF (Israeli) solider. Ready to talk about my opinions and the way we deal with Gaza. Please, ama.

What land, if any, do you believe Israel is entitled to?

A tough one... I don't believe the Jewish narrative (or any other nation's narrative) for birth right. Which raises the question of why did I sign in. Well, I want to protect my loved ones.

I am a Palestinian supporter and you have my respect. I believe Israel should be safe and sovereign and Palestine along side it as well.

Ok awesome, let's just put you two in charge and we can get this thing sorted before dinner.

We will still need our people's support.

Have your loved ones been harmed in the past?

Fortunately no

What kind of trouble would you get in for doing this?

I won't get caught. But it could cost me some jail time. But I think that having an intelligent conversation does us more good.

None. His responses (justifying the current mass murder and nonstop bombing of innocents) are in line with official Israeli policy. It's a propaganda AMA.

No its not.

Link

Since it's on the front page right now. What do you think about what happened to those Palastinian kids on the beach who got bombarded by shells from warships ? And what's your take on it ?

If this story is true, the soldiers should be locket in prison and publicly exposed.

What's the procedure to actually prosecute those soldiers? Is it actually used/enforced?

Former IDF soldier here.

Whenever there's a death in the other side, an investigation is opened. Everything from security footage to testimony is searched for, and of the person is even suspected they're thrown to an army prison. Within some unknown time period (sometimes a few days, sometimes weeks, in extreme cases years) they're given a fair trial in court.

If found guilty they're sent to a real prison with adult inmates. Usually that's far too great a risk for any 18-21 year old, so they just don't do it. Sometimes they do, in which case we'd rather have them in prison than serving the country.

There's actually a running joke that if you don't want to be drafted to the IDF, just say you want to kill all Arabs.

Quick question, is that just a joke, or do people actually do that to avoid service? There's an article about pre-teen Israelis tweeting some pretty awful things. I hope this is just a small minority of horribly bigoted people.

Ha ha. Yeah, some kids do desperate things to get out. I can't judge them, they have different views and want to go on with their lives with the 3 years holdback. The main joke on how to get out is to tell a psychiatrist and a can of ants are your best friend. Or claim you are a light bulb. Or just saying that the Torah is your craft.

Send em to Detroit, a fate worse than death, and a life more dismal than prison. :D

I live just outside of Detroit, and you should know that the city is making a comeback. There are many parts that are beautiful places to be that you don't see/hear about in the media. All they focus on is the negative, which is very unfortunate. Sure there is plenty of crime and poverty, but what major city doesn't have comparable problems?

You go girl

Just saw a report on the subject on our media. People here are furious and an investigation has been opened. It won't just slip away, someone will be punished, I am proud to say.

is the "Hamas using human shield" narrative true? to what degree?

As far as I know it is. They form bases under schools and hospitals. They put launchers in families homes. This is way Israel can't complete the operation with air strikes alone, and says it need to physicly march in to Gaza.

Thanks for doing an AMA, I've been reading a lot about the most recent conflict lately, so have a few questions.

1. Do you think the kidnapping/murder of the 3 teenagers was used as an excuse for the IDF to infiltrate Gaza? The response seems extremely heavy handed - hundreds of arrests, confiscation of large sums of money, etc? It hardly seems like a proportional response and much more like collective punishment justified by emotions running so high.

2. How do you feel about the religious Zionist settlers? I've read that many more moderate Israelis see them as doing much more harm than good, there was a news article discussing some in the Israeli government wanting to classify them as terrorist groups.

3. What do you think Hamas is trying to achieve with their constant rocket attacks? The Iron Dome seems to make firing them a complete waste, yet they're causing massive destruction on the Palestinian side. Surely all they're doing is making Hamas less popular with Palestinians that just want to go about their business.

4. Given the rocket attacks are doing very little harm, do you think the IDF's response is appropriate? Hundreds of Palestinians have died at this point, many of them children, vs only 1 (I think) Israeli.

Looking forward to your replies. I do my best to take an objective view of the conflict, in order to understand it as best I can.

1. It definitely has been a catalist. The rage within the nation grew to points where Bibi had to act. Its a horrible story, but another horrible story would have happens sooner or later.

2. I don't believe in their ways. They are not a part of the group I'm here for. I have no more relations with them then with Tibetans or Arabs for that matter. I don't want to be associated with them.

3. I think of Hamas as a guerilla group. They are motivated with faith and ideals, you have to appreciate that. I think they try to fight. Until they can't no more. There is a Muslim saying that Islam has already won, its just a matter of time. So they just make as much damage as they can. Like the Jewish partizans in WW2.

4. Not proportional if you look at it from the perspective of this one round of fighting. What we try to achieve is illumination of Hamas. And in war, people die (so it goes). We happens to be the stronger side in an asimetric fight.

1. Thanks. What are your thoughts on Netanyahu? Do you think he has any interest in peace, or the emotional capability to bring it?

2. Interesting response. Do you think the majority of mainstream Israelis feel the same way? Why doesn't Israel go further to reel in how militant they've become, given the problems it creates? Is the influence of American "Christians" a factor in that?

3. What percentage of the Palestinian population do you think feels this way? It seems like a very radical view of the world.

4. When you say "illiumination" do you mean "elimination"? Surely the killing of innocent civilians just radicalizes Palestinians, perpetuating the cycle of violence even further - it seems like a strange means to that end. Surely the best way to eliminate them is to eliminate any leverage they have over their populations with a real 2 state solution.

1. He is obviously a smart man. Many people in Israel view him as a self centered politician. I tend to agree, but you got to give him credit, he has a long history with many achivments. And I can't believe that he doesn't care. So if he cares and he is smart and capable, its fine for me. I didn't vote for him.

2. I don't think they do. I think (sadly) that the majority of the israelians are religious to some degree. Many of them would adopt a "right wing" agenda. I didn't understand the rest of the question.

3. Its hard to say. Does who wish for an Islamic eutopia probably are. I can't estimate a present. May be a Palestinian ama?

4. Yeah, eliminate. I'm not a politician, and unfortunately I am not familiar enough with all of the offerd solutions to give an intelligent response.

in war

Calling this conflict a war is the very misleading I think. This is not a war, it is a occupation with all the perils it brings.

You are right. War is a strong phrase. But when you sum up all the conflicts you get a war of sort. Just like tribal wars in Africa. Not a concentrated battle but a stretched one. And the other side claims in public that they intend to perish you, this is defanetly warish

What is your opinion of the "two-state solution" to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and what would need to happen for it to actually work?

Edit: oops, I meant the binational solution. But interested in your opinion either way/on both

I could live in both situations, happily. But I do know many people who won't be able to live with letting Arabs walk the hills of Jerusalem, and vice versa. It would take a brave leader who won't let noisy minorities with high political power in his way.

1. What is your opinion on the building of settlements in the west bank? Isreal needs to be able to defend itself, but the Palestineans also need room to live. What to you think the best solution is?

2. Do you think any actual peace can be reached with Hamas? Any treaties? Or do they need to be removed from power entirely? From my prospective it looks like an actual stong Palestinean state is needed to take control of Gaza instead of just having a lawless area that is just guarded and bombed.

3. Whats the current attitude on the subject of letting Hassidics dodge the draft? Is the free ride soon to be over?

4. So this is the internet. We have all seen the pics of of the super-hot IDF chicks. Any insight on the matter would be appreciated as well as any stories or pictures. Mostly pictures.

1. Let me tell you buddy, if I could fight against them settlers, I would. They are driven from the same extreme drive as any other terrorist group.

2. I agree with you. They need actual leaders with leaser religious agendas. Hamas is a terror group that grew from the Muslim brothers. This is not a leading body.

3. I'm sorry, I don't understand the question. Probably my English.

4. Well, we also have clever girls. But if you want to talk about the naked ones so, you know, every 18 yr old has to sign up, statistically, some are hot dum girls. When you put a large group of 18 to 21 ones in a closed base for weeks you get needs.

Thanks for responding. For #3, These guys don't have to do do two years in the army like everybody else. From what I hear this upsets a lot of people who think that they should not be excused from service. What's the current situation for this?

As for the girls. Its because you draft them all and uniforms look good on an already hot girl.

One extra question. How much english is spoken as opposed to Hebrew and yiddish? Every Isreali I have ever heard has english down really well. There was an Isreali girl I knew in high school and you couldn't tell she wasn't an American. I have also heard that young people consider english more hip.

1. OK got it. Well, if they don't want to serve I won't make them. They can go fuck them self's. Don't know the current status, don't care.

2. Well, what can I say.

3. Hmmm... We do consume american content, like music and cinema. So most of the young people speak it pretty well.

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FWIW, they probably pick attractive female soldiers to take guard duty.

Trust me they dont

the uniform looks quite stuffy -- is there a breezier uniform for casual duty?

Because I'm on guard I'm wearing an antibullet vest (not sure about the English term). But usually we have lighter clothing

Most commonly called bulletproof vest in English.

Thanks

What do you see as the immediate reason for Israel's military action in Gaza? I mean, do you view it in a historical context, as retaliatory, or what?

No historical context. Its about dealing with a threat. They publicly want to kill me and my other humans for that matter, all out of religious extreme.

I love how you say 'my other humans". All I hear about is 'the Israelis and the Palestinians' but never 'humans and humans'. Do you feel alone in thinking this way?

Not alone, but not popular enough.

I read that you are doing this to protect your loved ones, is it hard knowing that the other side is doing the same? Have you ever been able to talk to those from the other side?

It is. And we talk about it a lot in here, the morality. But I can calm myself knowing that we (and by we I mean the likes of me, my loved ones. Not people like extreme settlers) wouldn't hurt a human if it is not needed for protection. Its hard, knowing how many innocents died by my uniform. I guess reading helps... So it goes.

Do you read a lot of Kurt Vonnegut by any chance?

Listen! Biliy Pilgrim has come unstuck in time.

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You could also check out the Thug Notes on this one. Slaughter House Five has been done by Doc Sweets too.

Love thug notes

I saw an article about the fresh food prepared for the dutch army, and it looked very appetizing. How is food in the IDF? Can you choose your assignments -- for example, could you become army chef if you showed good culinary skill?

Most of the food is horrible. We a great cook in my base so I'm doing fine:) And you could ask for a position, sure

How would you respond to the assertion that Israel is a "rogue nation" and should not be supported by the US?

Edit: typo. Thanks for telling me about by making the same remark 3 different ways

We have rough politicians. And we use violence often. But I don't think we are proud of it, and this is the difference. We don't intend to kill because we hate Arabs, we use force to eliminate actual threats.

I think the word you may be trying to use is "eliminate" (as in to get rid of) instead of "illuminate" (meaning to light up). Great AMA by the way.

Your right, thanks.

Is there any conditioning prevalent in your military training that builds any kind of prejuidice towards Palestinian people?

I appreciate your bravery and your time, my friend.

Edit: wording

Not in my training, I can't tell for sure about the rest, I don't believe so.

Not in my training, I can't tell for sure about the rest, I don't believe so.

Thank you.

Hamas is clearly opposed to peace. Does it seem like the Palestinian people, as a whole, feel the same?

I don't believe they feel the same. Not all of them. I believe people are born good. You can't corrupt a whole nation.

Does your family have a solid shakshuka recipe that you're willing to share?

I put apples in my shakshuka, only red.

I know you're getting a lit of hate in this thread, and a lit of it is, unfortunately, from my country. I would just like to say, as an American, I understand being a soldier, no matter what country, has its trials, and tough decisions. No matter what cause you're serving for, I hope you find yourself in the end and make choices you are satisfied with. Also, how are you doing ?

I'm doing fine. Thank you for this comment. I wish you well.

I would first like to thank you for your service. I hope the violence ends soon, with as few casualties as possible. I see a lot of my friends and family members take birthright trips, and worry for their safety, which leads to my questions: Is Gaza the only war zone currently? Are most areas in Israel safe for visitors and it's citizens?

Right now we suffer missile attacks from Gaza that reach more or less the whole country. Wouldn't recommend a trip at the moment. You are welcome when its finished.

Before Israel was even declared a state there was a long history of Islamic aggression against Jewish populations in the area. In fact a major Islamic leader of Jerusalem, Husseini, was a close ally of Hitler and they met publicly to discuss the prospect of extending the "final solution" to Palestine once Europe had been 'cleansed'. This preceded any Israeli borders or settlements.

To what extent does your generation conceive Islam to be a driving force in the current state of the conflict?

It is as much as extreme Judaism is.

Do you think israel could defend its position without outside help? And do you personally believe muslims and palestinians should be removed from their homes and treated the same way the koran (sp?) Says non muslims should be treated, with slavery and death? And do you think there will ever be a merger of ideas?

I think we can protect ourselfs without outside help, in this current conflict.

And fuck no, they should be treated as human beings.