The Israeli military has brought in new media Rules on active combat soldiers in a bid to protect them from potential legal actions abroad over alleged war crimes in Gaza. This is after rising cases where reservists were called out while traveling abroad.
New Media Rules for Soldiers
Under the updated regulations, interviews with soldiers holding ranks up to colonel will no longer display their full names or faces, aligning with existing rules for pilots and special forces members. Media must also avoid linking these soldiers to specific combat events.
Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani, a military spokesperson, explained, “These guidelines aim to protect our soldiers and ensure their safety from incidents driven by anti-Israel activists worldwide.”
Social Media and Travel Concerns
Shoshani pointed out that soldiers are barred from posting war zone videos or photos on social media, although it is very difficult to monitor such restrictions in a vast military. He further pointed out that activist groups like Belgium‘s Hind Rajab Foundation have reportedly been able to identify soldiers through social media posts, for which legal actionhas been taken abroad.
One of the cases is an Israeli reservist on vacation in Brazil, who escaped the country after a Brazilian judge ordered an investigation based on a complaint by a pro-Palestinian group. Similar cases have emerged, but no charges have been filed in any of them, according to Shoshani.
International Legal Context
This came amid increased legal scrutiny as the international criminal court issued arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, and Hamas leader Ibrahim Al-Masri over alleged war crimes in Gaza. All these have caused outrage across Israel.
The Israeli military maintains that the new guidelines are meant to reduce risks for its soldiers while ensuring operational and personal security during international travel.
