Purity Of Arms Poem by Chen-ou Liu

Purity Of Arms

a tanka set about the so-called most moral army of the world, IDF

mosque floor littered
with plaster and broken glass,
rows of Gazan men
with their hands bound behind...
a soldier tears up a Quran

silhouetted
against pile after pile
of smoky ruins...
soldiers take smile photos
with their selfie sticks

FYI: Israel's oldest daily, Haaretz, Jan.30 2025: 'Army of Militias': Reservist's Explosive Book on Gaza Exposes Israel's War Machine From Within

And

Wikipedia entry: Purity of arms (Hebrew: טוהר הנשק Tohar HaNeshek) is one of the core values listed in the Spirit of the Israel Defense Forces. It is described as the following:

The IDF servicemen and women will use their weapons and force only for the purpose of their mission, only to the necessary extent and will maintain their humanity even during combat. IDF soldiers will not use their weapons and force to harm human beings who are not combatants or prisoners of war, and will do all in their power to avoid causing harm to their lives, bodies, dignity and property.

Thursday, February 20, 2025
Topic(s) of this poem: soldier,war
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