Following a series of attempts to implicate Israelis in war crimes charges abroad, the IDF on Wednesday ordered the bulk of its troops to refrain from being named or identified in the media.
The order that went into effect Wednesday applies to regular troops and reservists alike, and it says that all personnel under the rank of brigadier general may be identified solely by the first letter of their first names. They may be pictured but only if their faces are blurred in the published media, says the order, which the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit shared with JNS. The same applies to all troops with a foreign nationality of all ranks.
Brigadier generals and higher officers may be pictured or filmed and identified by their full name and role or posting, down to their divisional affiliations. But they must be debriefed ahead of a media interview by a representative of the International Law Department in the Military Advocate General unit.
Previously, myriad Israeli troops of various ranks were interviewed in local and international media under their real names and showing their faces. Hundreds of them have done so since the outbreak of war with terrorists in Gaza, Lebanon and beyond on Oct. 7, 2023.
A representative of the International Law department must approve all filming in combat areas, the order mandates. Colonels who have in the past appeared in the media in connection with specific subjects may be considered for special permission on a per-interview basis, the order said.
The army will make no effort to blur photos retroactively or delete the names of soldiers who have already been identified in the media before Jan. 8, when the order went into effect.
It did not indicate why the new order was issued. The order in effect extends to the bulk of the IDF manpower procedures that for decades had applied to special forces troops and Air Force pilots, as well as to the personnel of some classified units.
Since Oct. 7, 2023, at least 12 Israelis have been the subject of legal action abroad in connection with the country’s ongoing war on Hamas in Gaza. Israel and some of its allies, including the United States, have consistently denied allegations of war crimes and genocide leveled at Israel in international forums and in the media.
The information came to light earlier this week following the initiation last month of a federal probe against an Israeli tourist in Brazil for alleged war crimes.
In response to the development, a Cabinet subcommittee headed by Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar on Sunday held a classified discussion on how to respond to such situations, which have occurred in 12 cases in several countries in Europe and Asia.
In addition to Brazil, other countries named were Belgium, Cyprus, Ireland, the Netherlands, Serbia, Sri Lanka and Thailand. In none of the cases was an arrest warrant issued. The soldier who was investigated in Brazil left the country and arrived in Israel.
The Hind Rajab Foundation has filed civil lawsuits against at least 28 IDF soldiers in eight different countries alleging war crimes and has submitted information on the claims to the International Criminal Court in The Hague.
