Another tasteless display from the IDF
Discussion
Whoops....correction....IDF. Not IDA. My mistake.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7960071.stm
Charming.....how could this have been allowed or tolerated in the first place. In fact, what kind of company would even allow something this tasteless to be printed!?!?!
The things that go on in that part of the world beggar belief!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7960071.stm
Charming.....how could this have been allowed or tolerated in the first place. In fact, what kind of company would even allow something this tasteless to be printed!?!?!
The things that go on in that part of the world beggar belief!
Article said:
Israeli officials have described as "tasteless" and inconsistent with army values a popular military past-time of printing violent cartoons on T-shirts.
An investigation in Haaretz daily saya the customised shirts are often ordered when troops finish training courses.
One example shows a pregnant Arab women in the cross-hairs of a sniper's sight with the legend "1 shot 2 kills".
Another design shows a child being similarly targeted with the slogan "the smaller they, are the harder it is".
In both images the people being targeted appear to be carrying weapons. A third T-shirt design shows a dead Palestinian baby and the words "Better use Durex" (condoms).
An army statement said the customised clothing was produced outside military auspices, but it pledged to stamp out the use of such imagery by soldiers.
"The examples presented by the Haaretz reporter are not in accordance with IDF values and are simply tasteless," the military statement said.
"This type of humour is unbecoming and should be condemned."
But it admitted that until now there were no military guidelines governing "acceptable civilian clothing" made by its soldiers.
'Callous attitude'
The Israeli military has faced heavy criticism for causing high levels of civilian casualties during its recent Gaza offensive.
The army frequently says it takes care to avoid civilian casualties and blames Palestinian militants for putting them in harm's way.
Many Israeli combat troops deal with Palestinians in the occupied territories
A sociologist quoted by Haaretz, Orna Sasson-Levy of Bar-Ilan University, warned the designs could strengthen, stimulate and legitimise aggression towards Palestinians in the occupied territories.
"There is... increasing callousness," she said. "There is a perception that the Palestinian is not a person, a human being entitled to basic rights and therefore anything may be done to him."
The Haaretz investigation discovered numerous T-shirts depicting violence against Palestinians and appearing to celebrate sexual assault.
Other designs appeared to bear witness to officially prohibited practices, such as "confirming the kill" (shooting lifeless enemies' bodies in the head to ensure they are dead), or deliberately harming religious sites and non-combatants.
The shirts are often printed up to mark the end of basic training and other military courses.
'Moral army'
The Tel Aviv clothing firm Adiv, which made many of the shirts, did not comment on the Haaretz report.
It prints up about 500 different patterns for military units each month, Haaretz says, mostly jokes about army life and "a handful reflecting particular aggressiveness, violence and vulgarity".
On Monday, Israel's chief of staff defended his troops against a rising tide of criticism.
"I tell you that this is a moral and ideological army," Lt-Gen Gabi Ashkenazi said in a speech to new recruits.
"I have no doubt that exceptional events will be dealt with. We took every measure possible to reduce harm to the innocent [in Gaza]."
The Haaretz report says the T-shirts tend to be worn strictly in private or in barracks because of adverse civilian reactions and are seen by army psychologists as an expression of bonding within a small, tight-knit unit.
Last week several soldiers were quoted anonymously in the media saying troops had killed Palestinians, including women and children, by hastily opening fire under relaxed rules of engagement in Gaza.
An investigation in Haaretz daily saya the customised shirts are often ordered when troops finish training courses.
One example shows a pregnant Arab women in the cross-hairs of a sniper's sight with the legend "1 shot 2 kills".
Another design shows a child being similarly targeted with the slogan "the smaller they, are the harder it is".
In both images the people being targeted appear to be carrying weapons. A third T-shirt design shows a dead Palestinian baby and the words "Better use Durex" (condoms).
An army statement said the customised clothing was produced outside military auspices, but it pledged to stamp out the use of such imagery by soldiers.
"The examples presented by the Haaretz reporter are not in accordance with IDF values and are simply tasteless," the military statement said.
"This type of humour is unbecoming and should be condemned."
But it admitted that until now there were no military guidelines governing "acceptable civilian clothing" made by its soldiers.
'Callous attitude'
The Israeli military has faced heavy criticism for causing high levels of civilian casualties during its recent Gaza offensive.
The army frequently says it takes care to avoid civilian casualties and blames Palestinian militants for putting them in harm's way.
Many Israeli combat troops deal with Palestinians in the occupied territories
A sociologist quoted by Haaretz, Orna Sasson-Levy of Bar-Ilan University, warned the designs could strengthen, stimulate and legitimise aggression towards Palestinians in the occupied territories.
"There is... increasing callousness," she said. "There is a perception that the Palestinian is not a person, a human being entitled to basic rights and therefore anything may be done to him."
The Haaretz investigation discovered numerous T-shirts depicting violence against Palestinians and appearing to celebrate sexual assault.
Other designs appeared to bear witness to officially prohibited practices, such as "confirming the kill" (shooting lifeless enemies' bodies in the head to ensure they are dead), or deliberately harming religious sites and non-combatants.
The shirts are often printed up to mark the end of basic training and other military courses.
'Moral army'
The Tel Aviv clothing firm Adiv, which made many of the shirts, did not comment on the Haaretz report.
It prints up about 500 different patterns for military units each month, Haaretz says, mostly jokes about army life and "a handful reflecting particular aggressiveness, violence and vulgarity".
On Monday, Israel's chief of staff defended his troops against a rising tide of criticism.
"I tell you that this is a moral and ideological army," Lt-Gen Gabi Ashkenazi said in a speech to new recruits.
"I have no doubt that exceptional events will be dealt with. We took every measure possible to reduce harm to the innocent [in Gaza]."
The Haaretz report says the T-shirts tend to be worn strictly in private or in barracks because of adverse civilian reactions and are seen by army psychologists as an expression of bonding within a small, tight-knit unit.
Last week several soldiers were quoted anonymously in the media saying troops had killed Palestinians, including women and children, by hastily opening fire under relaxed rules of engagement in Gaza.
Edited by beanbag on Monday 23 March 21:57
beanbag said:
Whoops....correction....IDF. Not IDA. My mistake.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7960071.stm
Charming.....how could this have been allowed or tolerated in the first place. In fact, what kind of company would even allow something this tasteless to be printed!?!?!
The things that go on in that part of the world beggar belief!
I saw this... V tasteless.http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7960071.stm
Charming.....how could this have been allowed or tolerated in the first place. In fact, what kind of company would even allow something this tasteless to be printed!?!?!
The things that go on in that part of the world beggar belief!
Article said:
Israeli officials have described as "tasteless" and inconsistent with army values a popular military past-time of printing violent cartoons on T-shirts.
An investigation in Haaretz daily saya the customised shirts are often ordered when troops finish training courses.
One example shows a pregnant Arab women in the cross-hairs of a sniper's sight with the legend "1 shot 2 kills".
Another design shows a child being similarly targeted with the slogan "the smaller they, are the harder it is".
In both images the people being targeted appear to be carrying weapons. A third T-shirt design shows a dead Palestinian baby and the words "Better use Durex" (condoms).
An army statement said the customised clothing was produced outside military auspices, but it pledged to stamp out the use of such imagery by soldiers.
"The examples presented by the Haaretz reporter are not in accordance with IDF values and are simply tasteless," the military statement said.
"This type of humour is unbecoming and should be condemned."
But it admitted that until now there were no military guidelines governing "acceptable civilian clothing" made by its soldiers.
'Callous attitude'
The Israeli military has faced heavy criticism for causing high levels of civilian casualties during its recent Gaza offensive.
The army frequently says it takes care to avoid civilian casualties and blames Palestinian militants for putting them in harm's way.
Many Israeli combat troops deal with Palestinians in the occupied territories
A sociologist quoted by Haaretz, Orna Sasson-Levy of Bar-Ilan University, warned the designs could strengthen, stimulate and legitimise aggression towards Palestinians in the occupied territories.
"There is... increasing callousness," she said. "There is a perception that the Palestinian is not a person, a human being entitled to basic rights and therefore anything may be done to him."
The Haaretz investigation discovered numerous T-shirts depicting violence against Palestinians and appearing to celebrate sexual assault.
Other designs appeared to bear witness to officially prohibited practices, such as "confirming the kill" (shooting lifeless enemies' bodies in the head to ensure they are dead), or deliberately harming religious sites and non-combatants.
The shirts are often printed up to mark the end of basic training and other military courses.
'Moral army'
The Tel Aviv clothing firm Adiv, which made many of the shirts, did not comment on the Haaretz report.
It prints up about 500 different patterns for military units each month, Haaretz says, mostly jokes about army life and "a handful reflecting particular aggressiveness, violence and vulgarity".
On Monday, Israel's chief of staff defended his troops against a rising tide of criticism.
"I tell you that this is a moral and ideological army," Lt-Gen Gabi Ashkenazi said in a speech to new recruits.
"I have no doubt that exceptional events will be dealt with. We took every measure possible to reduce harm to the innocent [in Gaza]."
The Haaretz report says the T-shirts tend to be worn strictly in private or in barracks because of adverse civilian reactions and are seen by army psychologists as an expression of bonding within a small, tight-knit unit.
Last week several soldiers were quoted anonymously in the media saying troops had killed Palestinians, including women and children, by hastily opening fire under relaxed rules of engagement in Gaza.
An investigation in Haaretz daily saya the customised shirts are often ordered when troops finish training courses.
One example shows a pregnant Arab women in the cross-hairs of a sniper's sight with the legend "1 shot 2 kills".
Another design shows a child being similarly targeted with the slogan "the smaller they, are the harder it is".
In both images the people being targeted appear to be carrying weapons. A third T-shirt design shows a dead Palestinian baby and the words "Better use Durex" (condoms).
An army statement said the customised clothing was produced outside military auspices, but it pledged to stamp out the use of such imagery by soldiers.
"The examples presented by the Haaretz reporter are not in accordance with IDF values and are simply tasteless," the military statement said.
"This type of humour is unbecoming and should be condemned."
But it admitted that until now there were no military guidelines governing "acceptable civilian clothing" made by its soldiers.
'Callous attitude'
The Israeli military has faced heavy criticism for causing high levels of civilian casualties during its recent Gaza offensive.
The army frequently says it takes care to avoid civilian casualties and blames Palestinian militants for putting them in harm's way.
Many Israeli combat troops deal with Palestinians in the occupied territories
A sociologist quoted by Haaretz, Orna Sasson-Levy of Bar-Ilan University, warned the designs could strengthen, stimulate and legitimise aggression towards Palestinians in the occupied territories.
"There is... increasing callousness," she said. "There is a perception that the Palestinian is not a person, a human being entitled to basic rights and therefore anything may be done to him."
The Haaretz investigation discovered numerous T-shirts depicting violence against Palestinians and appearing to celebrate sexual assault.
Other designs appeared to bear witness to officially prohibited practices, such as "confirming the kill" (shooting lifeless enemies' bodies in the head to ensure they are dead), or deliberately harming religious sites and non-combatants.
The shirts are often printed up to mark the end of basic training and other military courses.
'Moral army'
The Tel Aviv clothing firm Adiv, which made many of the shirts, did not comment on the Haaretz report.
It prints up about 500 different patterns for military units each month, Haaretz says, mostly jokes about army life and "a handful reflecting particular aggressiveness, violence and vulgarity".
On Monday, Israel's chief of staff defended his troops against a rising tide of criticism.
"I tell you that this is a moral and ideological army," Lt-Gen Gabi Ashkenazi said in a speech to new recruits.
"I have no doubt that exceptional events will be dealt with. We took every measure possible to reduce harm to the innocent [in Gaza]."
The Haaretz report says the T-shirts tend to be worn strictly in private or in barracks because of adverse civilian reactions and are seen by army psychologists as an expression of bonding within a small, tight-knit unit.
Last week several soldiers were quoted anonymously in the media saying troops had killed Palestinians, including women and children, by hastily opening fire under relaxed rules of engagement in Gaza.
Edited by beanbag on Monday 23 March 21:57
stigmundfreud said:
Mr Dave said:
Military personel in having a sick sense of humour shock!
Does show a lack of common sense though.
but like ww2, they conscript everyone into the army so its pretty much a nationwide issueDoes show a lack of common sense though.
I must be missing something here.
Some soldiers print some tasteless t-shirts about an enemy their country hates, what's the big deal?
Yes the t-shirts are tasteless but it's hardly a big deal and should just be dealt with internally rather than making international news.
When I worked for NATO this would happen all of the time. From the comical Not Another Training Organization t-shirts through to the vulgar stuff.
Some soldiers print some tasteless t-shirts about an enemy their country hates, what's the big deal?
Yes the t-shirts are tasteless but it's hardly a big deal and should just be dealt with internally rather than making international news.
When I worked for NATO this would happen all of the time. From the comical Not Another Training Organization t-shirts through to the vulgar stuff.
Edited by Ordinary_Chap on Monday 23 March 23:28
Parrot of Doom said:
Perhaps if they'd been able to defend themselves, there wouldn't have been quite so horrific a holocaust?
Blib said:
They learnt that the rest of the World won't raise a finger to help them
I agree..... And if as it said in the article about a closed small group of soldiers using this humor to bond, well, I don't have a problem with that. If they were wearing them walking down a high street, maybe.....
'They smaller they are, the harder it is' did make me chuckle though. Good job I'm already going to Hell for other reasons!!
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