THE DILEMMA

Steeped in the heritage of Judaic value of human life and inculcated in the young men of the Israeli Defense Forces, impossible decisions must be made in battle.

Battles are often fought with indiscriminate slaughter of innocent men, women and children.

Not so in the IDF. Young commanders no older than 20 years, must make these on the spot moral decisions and communicate it to troops younger than the commander.

Heart racing, sweating profusely ,the commander mentally questions whether the right decision is made, all the time realizing his body camera is memorializing this event.
Thinking that he she may have to answer to superiors for the consequences of the decision as well as to his/her own conscience.

The commander and his troops from numerous months of training know that  the responsibility for the sanctity of life is only superseded by his judgment call to save his comrades and accomplish the designated mission.

These required actions pose a judgmental dilemma on these young warriors of the IDF, the protectors of Israel.

Wayne Lazarus