Not against the soldiers: Why discipline is a command responsibility
The events in the Tzabar Battalion remind us: discipline is not a whim of commanders, but the foundation that allows fighters to operate and return home safely.
The events in the Tzabar Battalion are not just a localized disciplinary crisis, but a reminder of a fundamental truth: a commander who loves his soldiers demands order and discipline from them. This is the only way to win a war.
"He speaks of love, he begins with it," says Alterman — and he is right. For many years, I served in the infantry units of the IDF, as a soldier and as a commander. Throughout my command path, I believed that the attitude toward soldiers must be based first and foremost on love, appreciation, and mutual respect. However, one must not be confused: command love does not mean permissiveness, and caring does not mean blurring boundaries.
The recent disciplinary events in the Tzabar Battalion are particularly serious, as they undermine the deepest foundations of the army.
Military discipline is not a whim of commanders, and it is not intended to satisfy a desire for control. Discipline is the foundation that allows the IDF to operate, fight, and win. A commander who truly loves his soldiers and cares for their well-being ensures first and foremost that his unit is disciplined. A unit that lacks order and the fulfillment of orders will fail the test of battle, will not achieve its mission, and will endanger human lives.
Unacceptable phenomena
The IDF has been in intense and continuous combat for almost three years. During prolonged periods of difficult fighting, there is an increased danger of disciplinary erosion: constant pressure, accumulated fatigue, uncertainty, and the sense of arrogance that can characterize young soldiers who have experienced combat — all these constitute fertile ground for the development of unacceptable phenomena.
Excellent commanders do not close their eyes to such incidents; they deal with them decisively and without fear.
We must not fall into the trap of looking at these events through the prism of "fighters versus commanders," or simple soldiers from the field versus "disconnected" officers. This is not reality. IDF commanders grow from within the ranks. They themselves were simple soldiers just yesterday.
The form of command in the IDF is based on a shared destiny: what the soldier does, the commander does alongside him.
We must not sow destructive distrust between the fighters and their commanders. A true commander cares for his soldiers — and it is precisely out of this care that he demands iron discipline. Only in this way will we protect their lives, and only in this way will we win.
The author is one of the leaders of the "Called to the Flag" (Nikraim LaDegel) movement.
