המדרון החלקלק המוביל מ"כפיפות יתר" לעבר ה"פרגמנטציה" של הצבא בישראל

Two decades ago, it became apparent that the IDF was moving towards a situation of "over-subordination" vis-à-vis various civilian institutions and groups, not all of which were governmental. This article claims that it is now possible to identify an even more acute phenomenon, the principal cause of which is the recent confluence of three major developments: the incremental polarization of Israeli society; the increasing influence wielded by social media on the tenor of public debate, and the extended conflict known as "the iron swords war". Together, these developments are driving the army towards "fragmentation", by which we mean the erosion of its status as a unified institution loyal to the liberal tradition of non-partisan and non-sectarian behavior, and an instrument that acts solely in accordance with government directives. Instead, the impression created is that various groups of military personnel - intentionally or not - represent and promote social and/or political agendas that generate public controversy. The influence of these groups penetrates the army and undermines the foundations on which the IDF’s image as a people’s army is based. Should those fissures widen,they could impair the army’s ability to recruit personnel and to operate effectively and legally when carrying carry out its missions.