Source: Dawn
Wire Service: AFP
http://www.dawn.com/2007/08/08/int4.htm
JERUSALEM, Aug 7: Israel plunged into bitter debate over the source of authority for many of its soldiers on Tuesday after a group of troops refused orders to evacuate hardline Jewish settlers in the occupied West Bank.
The four-hour operation early on Tuesday in the flashpoint town of Hebron sparked fiery rhetoric over the future of the Jewish state's army after a dozen soldiers decided to listen to their parents and rabbis, instead of their commanding officers, and refused to participate.
Media warned such subordination was becoming a trend, military leaders slammed it as unacceptable, the religious right hailed it as a sign of things to come, and the secular left warned it could paralyse the army.
When they were given the order on Monday to back up police forces removing the Hebron settlers, dozens of mostly religious soldiers in the Kfir regiment called their parents and rabbis for advice.
Some were told they had to follow the orders, others were advised to take sick leave to avoid insubordination, but two company commanders and 10 soldiers refused outright to carry out the orders.