This chapter examines the moral conceptions that guide the IDF, through a critical analysis of the current ethical code and the principles on which it is based. The existing ethical code relies on universal principles influenced by the philosophy of John Rawls, particularly the principles of “justice as fairness” and the “veil of ignorance.”
These principles seek to neutralize an individual’s national, cultural, and social contexts, presenting an egalitarian and ostensibly objective morality. This approach portrays the human being as an abstract individual, detached from social and cultural frameworks, thereby weakening communal cohesion and the ability to articulate a moral hierarchy. Within the IDF, these principles shape the use of military force, endanger the lives of combat soldiers, and impair the IDF’s ability to protect the state’s citizens.
In contrast to this approach, the article proposes a moral alternative grounded in the Jewish tradition and republican philosophy. This perspective emphasizes the importance of social contexts and commitment to moral circles. The chapter develops alternative moral principles to the Rawlsian tradition and advances the idea of “justice as loyalty” — a commitment to justice rooted in communal affiliation and mutual responsibility, which serves as the foundation for informed moral action.
The concept of “justice as loyalty” holds that primary responsibility is owed to one’s immediate community—family, community, and nation—and only thereafter to humanity as a whole. Jewish principles such as “the poor of your own city take precedence” and “your life takes precedence over the life of your fellow” reflect this approach, which views communal cohesion as a necessary condition for meaningful moral existence.
To clarify the circles of responsibility underlying the principle of “justice as loyalty,” the chapter proposes the principle of “lifting the veil,” which inverts Rawls’s approach. Rather than concealing social and cultural contexts, these contexts should be fully exposed in order to define precisely the moral obligations of each individual. This approach enables informed moral decision-making that balances loyalty among different social affiliations.
This approach does not negate universal values; rather, it integrates them within particularistic contexts. In doing so, it resonates with an intellectual tradition that emphasizes the individual’s belonging to a collective project oriented toward the universal common good. Values such as loyalty, comradeship, and love of country thus acquire practical meaning as part of the obligation to preserve the community, which itself constitutes a component of the human mosaic.
Accordingly, the article proposes an update to the IDF’s Code of Ethics, including emphasizing victory as a central value alongside other values such as responsibility, comradeship, and human dignity. These proposals are intended to balance national commitment with universal morality, while strengthening the foundations of the national community. This approach seeks to address the moral challenges of operational reality in the modern era through the implementation of practical moral principles based on human and collective affinity, integrating Jewish tradition and republican philosophy as guiding principles for the use of military force.
