Professors Yedidya Stern and Avi Bell Published in Mekor Rishon

An article written by Bar Ilan Professors, Yedidya Stern, former Dean of the law faculty, and Avi Bell, a professor of philosophy, was published recently in the Mekor Rishon newspaper. The article discussed the legal and moral ramifications of a petition initiated by several prominent figures in society, calling on Israeli Air Force pilots to refuse orders to strike Iran’ s nuclear reactor.  The authors’ position is that while the fate of the entire country depends on the decision whether to preempt an Iranian attack with an air strike, the tactics used are anti-democratic.  Aside from the legal implications mentioned, Bell and Stern feel that it is immoral to place the blame on the shoulders of pilots who are bound by law to obey their commanding officers orders.