Despite what we hear in the meida, the Israeli army's code of military ethics, Tohar HaNeshek—meaning "Purity of Arms"—is one of the strictest and most comprehensive in the world.

In today's episode of Inside Israel, I speak with Dr. Asa Kasher, a professor at Tel Aviv University and the lead author of Purity of Arms.

While most Western militaries have an ethical code, Israel’s stands out, particularly for its focus on the sanctity of human life—even that of the enemy.

Asa and I speak about why this is so, and explore why it took nearly fifty years for Purity of Arms to be created. We discuss whether his views on battlefield ethics have evolved since the shocking Hamas attack on Israeli civilians on October 7, 2023.

I also challenge Dr. Kasher with a tough question: Is there such a thing as being “too cautious” when it comes to avoiding unnecessary harm to our enemies? After all, shouldn't the IDF’s top priority be the safety and well-being of Israeli civilians, regardless of the cost to our foes?

And in the "Hebrew is Magic" segment, Dr. Kasher shares three Hebrew expressions that hold personal significance for him, including the phrase ruach tzahal (“the spirit of the IDF”).

To learn more about Inside Israel, and to submit a question for Joel to answer on-air, visit www.joelchasnoff.com/podcast

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Israel 201, co-authored by Joel and Benji Lovitt and Winner of the 2023 National Jewish Book Award: www.joelchasnoff.com/books

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