Israel’s military has introduced new media engagement rules for its members following a Brazilian court’s decision to investigate war crime allegations against a soldier visiting the country.
The guidelines, announced on Wednesday, mandate that the names and faces of most soldiers, both active and reserve, be obscured in public appearances.
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This decision comes after a former Israeli soldier fled Brazil last week, following an investigation prompted by allegations from a pro-Palestinian NGO that he had been involved in war crimes during the Gaza conflict.
The soldier returned to Israel on Wednesday, where he gave an interview in which he refuted accusations of murdering “thousands of children,” as presented in a 500-page document that included a photo of him in uniform.
Israeli military spokesperson Nadav Shoshani addressed the new measures, explaining they were designed to protect Israeli personnel from “anti-Israel activists” worldwide.
Under the new rules, soldiers ranked colonel and below can only be filmed from behind, with their faces obscured, and their full names cannot be disclosed.
Military personnel with foreign citizenship must also keep their faces hidden and refrain from giving full names in interviews.
The new protocols are applicable in all combat zones, with the stipulation that soldiers cannot be linked to specific operations during interviews.
A former senior officer from Israel’s Judge Advocate General’s department noted that although there had been attempts to prosecute Israeli soldiers abroad, none have resulted in arrests or trials.
Activists are now targeting ordinary soldiers, not just high-ranking officers and politicians.
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