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The Soldier Posing for a Souvenir Photo-op
[Translation note: since the beginning of the Second Intifada, pictures of IDF soldiers posing next to bodies of dead Palestinians, next to blindfolded prisoners, or in other questionable situations, have repeatedly appeared in the media – indicating that this type of military souvenir picture-taking has become a widespread phenomenon. Americans: think Abu Ghraib]
"The essence of a photograph is to confirm the existence of that which it represents. Once I received a picture of myself from a photographer. I could not, in spite of all my efforts, recall that the picture had been taken. I examined my tie and sweater, to find out the circumstances in which I wore them, but to no avail. And yet, since there was a photograph, I could not deny having been there (even if I didn't know where it was)… I went to the photographer's exhibition as if to a police interrogation, in order to learn once and for all something I didn't know about myself. "
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(Roland Barthes, from "Camera Lucida: Reflections on Photography")
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"Hello. As said above, my name is Ofir and all I have to say is that for 3 years I had committed "war crimes" as you guys define them. I had beaten and shot Palestinians and their belongings. I even have plenty of pictures. I really enjoyed it, and I was a commander, Platoon Sergeant and later Company Sergeant-major. The entire company did similar things. I must admit that I am proud of what I did there. I don't count those beasts you call Palestinians, and I don't count you guys either.
just in case, for your information I am a pretty smart guy (Engineering major), young (23), secular, not some extremist settler from the OT…"
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[Message received on Yesh Gvul's online feedback form on November 23, 2006, including the author's full name and real email address]
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As long as he is shooting and laughing; as long as he stares at the camera, gleeful and unconcerned; as long as he chooses where to pose next to the mangled body, straightens his helmet, aims his rifle, wraps his arms around nearby shoulders, raises his fingers in the V-for-Victory salute; as long as this is how he commemorates his military camaraderie, arranging his pals' pictures in an album under the titles "November '03" or '04 or '05, saves them on his home PC, or even closer – on the company office PC, or closer yet – on his cellphone, the same one from which he calls Mommy to say " everything's all right"; as long as he goes There with a camera; as long as he goes There with a camera and a gun; as long as he goes There, the soldier posing for a photo-op is our collective face.
The IDF is not the Israeli Defense Forces anymore, but rather the Israeli Occupation Forces. It fails repeatedly in defending the country's borders. Meanwhile, it has become proficient and enthusiastic in the arts of Occupation and oppression, and has internalized their mentality.
Yes, the picture belongs to an individual soldier, but his actions are perpetrated in our name. The soldier "fulfills" his duties "for us" – we have "sent" him and his pals over There – and if we haven't, well, we haven't really resisted either. The photo-op soldier Occupies, oppresses, breaks, destroys, kills and poses for pictures in our name. It is the soldier who acts, takes photos and poses, but it is not only his responsibility – it is also ours. We, who do not object strongly enough to his actions, are also responsible for them. It is his face in the pictures, but also ours: as the public's emissary he personifies us.
The photo-op soldier deserves a Pillory of Shame, but he's neither the one who erected it nor the one who preserves it. This Shame belongs to us all.
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| Tali Silberstein and Ishai Menuchin (translation: Assaf Oron) |
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