Didn’t serve in the IDF? No “Survivor” for you!

Ami Kaufman By Ami Kaufman July 5, 2011 | Edit

The absurdity of Israeli militarism reached new heights this week with the formation of a new Facebook group called “Whoever isn’t fit for the IDF, isn’t fit for Survivor!”.

Didn’t serve in the IDF? No “Survivor” for you!
The logo of Israeli Survivor, switched with the word "mishtamtim" (draft-dodgers) on the group's Facebook page
The group was founded by Colonel (Res.) Amir Shotsman and as of today has over 5,000 supporters, just a few days after it was launched. Not a cottage cheese revolution, but still.

Shotsman’s angry about the fact  that some of the participants in the upcoming Survivor VIP season on Channel 10 didn’t do their military service, or at least only part of it. Shotsman told the Walla! news site:

“What bothers me is that people who don’t do their service due to medical or mental problems but they don’t have a problem doing physical tasks on a show like Survivor. If a doctor released them from service, you can’t have another doctor who allows them to be on show in difficult conditions which involve even more difficult efforts.”

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Didn’t serve in the IDF? No “Survivor” for you!
Oshri Cohen. Film star, will particpate in Survivor VIP. Didn't finish his service... (photo: wikimedia commons)

This isn’t the first time Israeli celebrities have been reprimanded for not serving. A few years ago an army general called to ban the mineral water company Mei Eden because Bar Rafaeli, who didn’t serve, starred in their ads.

Didn’t serve in the IDF? No “Survivor” for you!
Bar Rafaeli (photo: wikimedia commons)
Ami Kaufman

Ami Kaufman was chief night editor for Haaretz, for the prominent Israeli financial daily Calcalist, and correspondent on Israeli affairs for 93.6 RAM FM, a joint Palestinian-Israel radio station. His interest in food and cooking led to culinary studies at the "Israeli CIA" (Tadmor, Herzliya) and a brief stint in the restaurant business. Born in Tel Aviv, Ami lives in Bat Yam with his wife and two daughters. In his spare time he blogs at Half & Half.

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