"There are some 15 Jewish soldiers among the 45,000 British fighters currently in action in the U.S.-led campaign. "
U.K. lets Jewish soldiers in Gulf erase religion from
dog-tags
By , Haaretz Correspondent
LONDON - The British Army has allowed its Jewish soldiers involved in the war in Iraq
to erase mention of their religion on their dog-tags, fearing they would be executed if they
were captured. There are some 15 Jewish soldiers among the 45,000 British fighters
currently in action in the U.S.-led campaign.
The British Ministry of Defense made the decision following concerns expressed by
Jewish community leaders in Britain. The ministry added that kosher rations had been
provided to those Jewish soldiers who requested them.
During the 1991 Gulf War, the Iraqis would beat and parade prisoners in front of the
television cameras, and the British military fears that Jewish prisoners would come in for
a worse fate.
The British dog-tags list the soldier's name, rank, identity number and religion, with the
latter intended to facilitate proper burial in the event that the body of the soldier cannot be
brought home.
On Friday, Britain's chief rabbi, Jonathan Sacks, published a special prayer for the safety
of the soldiers in Iraq. The prayer was to be recited in all synagogues over the Sabbath.
http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/objects/pages/PrintArticleEn.jhtml?itemNo=275621
Original: 15 Jewish soldiers among the 45,000 British fighters