Ben-Gvir vows to rewrite IDF ethics code if made defense minister
Itamar Ben-Gvir, Otzma Yehudit leader, says that as defense minister he would rewrite the IDF's ethics code, replacing "purity of arms" with "righteousness of arms" and removing limits on force and protections for non-combatants. Only two right-leaning Israeli outlets have covered it so far.
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The story, neutrally told
Right · 1Otzma Yehudit leader Itamar Ben-Gvir said on Thursday 15 October that, as defense minister, he would propose a "dramatic change" to the Israel Defense Forces' code of ethics, replacing the value of "purity of arms" with "righteousness of arms". JNSR “he would propose a "dramatic change" to the Israel Defense Forces' code of ethics and replace the value of "purity of arms" with "righteousness of arms."” Read at JNS ↗ Right · 1Ben-Gvir, who is currently national security minister, is campaigning to become defense minister after the 27 October Knesset election; Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Army Radio on Wednesday that the portfolio should stay with his Likud Party. JNSR “Ben-Gvir is campaigning to become defense minister after the Oct. 27 Knesset election. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Army Radio on Wednesday that the portfolio should stay with his Likud Party.” Read at JNS ↗ Right · 2Ben-Gvir wrote on X in Hebrew that soldiers must go into battle knowing they are fighting a just war, and that their guiding rule should be the Talmudic teaching "if someone comes to kill you, rise up and kill him first". JNSR “"IDF soldiers need to go into battle knowing that they are fighting a just war,"” Read at JNS ↗ The Jerusalem PostRC “The revised code would explicitly establish the principle "If someone comes to kill you, rise early and kill him first" as a fundamental moral guideline” Read at The Jerusalem Post ↗
Right · 2According to both reports, the proposal would remove the wording limiting the use of force "only to the extent necessary", delete the provisions barring harm to non-combatants and prisoners of war, and drop all references to "universal moral values". JNSR “He would delete the passage barring harm to noncombatants and prisoners of war, and drop references to "universal moral values."” Read at JNS ↗ The Jerusalem PostRC “the proposal removes language in the existing code requiring soldiers to use force "only to the extent necessary."” Read at The Jerusalem Post ↗ Right · 2In their place the code would stress Jewish morality drawn from the Bible, Jewish law and Jewish tradition, and define the IDF's main goal as victory and the decisive defeat of the enemies of Israel and the Jewish people while safeguarding national security. JNSR “the code would emphasize Jewish morality, the Bible, Jewish law and Jewish tradition.” Read at JNS ↗ The Jerusalem PostRC “The purpose of the IDF is to achieve victory and decisively defeat the enemies of the State of Israel and the Jewish people” Read at The Jerusalem Post ↗ Right · 1The Jerusalem Post, describing the plan as part of Ben-Gvir's Defense Ministry programme, says it would revise "The Spirit of the IDF" and define the IDF as a "Jewish, state-run army" subject to the law and the government. It adds that the draft retains a commitment to human dignity, stating that every person has inherent worth regardless of origin, religion, nationality, gender, status or position. The Jerusalem PostRC “The proposed changes, presented as part of Ben-Gvir's plan for the Defense Ministry, would significantly revise the IDF's ethical framework, known as "The Spirit of the IDF,"”“"the IDF and its soldiers are committed to preserving human dignity. Every person possesses inherent worth, regardless of origin, religion, nationality, gender, status, or position."” Read at The Jerusalem Post ↗
Right · 1JNS notes that "purity of arms" traces to the late 1930s and was enshrined in the 1990s in "The Spirit of the IDF", which says soldiers will not use weapons or power to harm uninvolved civilians and prisoners. JNSR “The IDF's battle ethic, known as "purity of arms," traces back to the late 1930s, when the Jewish community took up arms during the Great Arab Revolt.” Read at JNS ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre0 outlets
No centre outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Right2 outlets
- Framing
- Both outlets report the proposal as a campaign announcement, laying out its content largely in Ben-Gvir's own terms, with little outside reaction.
- Emphasis
- The specific textual changes: the swap to "righteousness of arms", removal of the "only to the extent necessary" and non-combatant provisions, and the turn to Jewish sources. JNS adds Netanyahu's position and historical background; the Jerusalem Post quotes the draft's mission statement.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Neither article includes reaction from the IDF, military legal experts, opposition parties or critics, or any assessment of the legal effect of the changes.
- Charged language
- “far-right”“dramatic change”
- For example
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“he would propose a "dramatic change" to the Israel Defense Forces' code of ethics” — JNS
“National Security Minister and chairman of the far-right Otzma Yehudit party” — The Jerusalem Post
What every side reports
- Ben-Gvir proposes replacing "purity of arms" with "righteousness of arms" in the IDF code of ethics if he becomes defense minister.
- The proposal removes the "only to the extent necessary" limit, the ban on harming non-combatants and prisoners of war, and references to "universal moral values".
- The code would instead stress Jewish morality, the Bible, Jewish law and tradition.
Itamar Ben-Gvir person
Presents the change as making the IDF's purpose victory over its enemies and grounding its values in Jewish morality, so that soldiers know they fight a just war.
“"The first goal of the IDF is to win the war and decisively defeat the enemies of the State of Israel and the people of Israel," he wrote.” — JNS
Israel Defense Forces organisation
The IDF is the subject of the proposed rewrite; neither article carries an IDF response. Its current code, "The Spirit of the IDF", bars harm to uninvolved civilians and prisoners.
“That code states that soldiers "will not use their weapon or power to harm uninvolved civilians and prisoners."” — JNS
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre0 articles
No coverage yet.
Right2 articles
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JNSR ·
Ben-Gvir, eyeing Defense Ministry, vows to rewrite IDF ethics code
Neutral Short news report relaying Ben-Gvir's X post, with political context on the defense portfolio and historical background on "purity of arms".
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'Righteousness of Arms': Ben-Gvir plans to change IDF Code of Ethics if named defense minister
Neutral Detailed description of the draft changes and their wording, presented as the stated aims of Ben-Gvir's plan.
- 15 Oct 10:34 First JNSR Ben-Gvir, eyeing Defense Ministry, vows to rewrite IDF ethics code
- 16 Oct 01:55 +15h 21m The Jerusalem PostRC 'Righteousness of Arms': Ben-Gvir plans to change IDF Code of Ethics if named defense minister
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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