IDF soldiers convicted of using 11-year-old as human shield in Gaza
Two soldiers forced Palestinian child to open bags, feared to have been booby trapped, during Operation Cast Lead.
By Anshel Pfeffer Tags: IDF Gaza WarThe southern command military court convicted two Israeli soldiers on Sunday of using human shields during Operation Cast Lead, Israel's offensive in the Gaza Strip, in the winter of 2008-2009.
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A Palestinian opening the door for Israeli soldiers in the West Bank city of Hebron in 2004 |
| Photo by: AP |
The soldiers were convicted of offenses including inappropriate behavior and overstepping authority for ordering an 11-year-old Palestinian to search bags suspected to have been booby trapped.
The conviction is the first such conviction for what is termed in the Israel Defense Forces "neighbor procedure" – the use of human shields during searches and pursuits, which has been outlawed.
Friends of the two soldiers gathered outside the courthouse on Sunday to show their support. They were all wearing T shirts with the slogan "we are victims of Goldstone," written on them, referring to the damning UN report, penned by jurist Richard Goldstone, which accused Israel of committing war crimes during the Gaza war.
The incident occurred during a search conducted by Givati soldiers in southern Gaza City in January 2009. IDF protocols strictly prohibit the use of civilians as human shields.
An investigation into the incident was launched last July, after a United Nations report on children in armed combat brought the details of the event to the military police's attention.
The indictment also relied on a complaint filed by the Israeli chapter of the Defense for Children organization.
The IDF spokesperson's unit stressed that, during every incursion, soldiers were told that forcing civilians to assist in military operations was strictly forbidden, especially if such action were to endanger their lives.
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Anshel Pfeffer
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Breaching a protocol is not a war crime. The soldiers should be docked a months pay and sent back to their unit.
The IDF deserves credit for demanding accountability of it's soldiers actions. An army of occupation has few opportunities to show courage and many to show brutality.
goldstone is bogus. the Israeli soldiers have children and need to come back. The Gaza people better love their children more and get rid of Hamas. If this soldier were my child I would want him to protect himself.
Now they can return to their West Bank settlements and terror training camps, be praised by some wing nut rabbi, and terrorize the indigenous population all over again.
This shows how "tough" the IDF is. They used a little child to open this bag. So just how brave are these guys? The commandos that attacked the flotilla seems "tough" too. They could not fight off the activists, who were using sticks and chairs, so they shot 9 of them, and blamed the victims. Nice going, Israel.
It should be "making people responsible for booby traps in their own homes or suitcases". This sound fair to me. What must be rightly forbidden is to use civilians as real human shields, thus putting them in front of enemy fire. But if a person owns a house he must enter before the soldiers. Its his house!
May I remind everyone that not too long ago during the Vietnam War - children used to come up to the soldiers begging for food, when there were grenades taped to the back of their bodies. Lots of American solders were killed this way. Our IDF solders should be commended for being careful - not convicted.
Using children to check bags they suspect of being booby trapped. That is grounds for some Israeli Jews to visit The Hague, which is why the Jewish State has prosecurted these two individuals. The political leaders of Israel will not want to account for their actions in a court of law.
Never having been in Army,held a gun,or lifted a fist in anger.Nevertheless,I think I could understand ,if an IDF soldier ,who reluctantly entered Gaza,was faced with a possible scenario where he faced possible booby trapped things,.....well I really dont know how I would react.
Aside from the US, show me an example of another military that operates under this kind of moral code. Dropping leaflets before bombing, etc... As for withdrawing from WB - when security is right and recognition and borders are drawn - simple.
Occupation and colonisation debases the occupier and coloniser. If Israelis do not recognise the rot within the rest of the world does.
Occupation and colonisation debases the occupier and coloniser. If Israelis do not recognise the rot within the rest of the world does.
I hope these child abusers are locked up for a very, very long time. Disgusting criminals!
with hands tied and without return of Schalit.
they think it is ok, or a minor infringement. It is an obvious war crime to use a minor as shield (2 times). This is bad news for the moral compass of the IDF (or at least a considerable minority)
Withdraw from the Occupied territories!
Sounds to me that the Israeli Army just did the right thing by investigating their own soldiers & openly finding them guilty. How many armies around the world would have done this? Not many!
the israelis will go back to 67 borders and all will be just fine. or even go back to 48 borders and it will be great. next all the jews will go back to europe, asia and africa and forget about their holy land. do you also what to re-write the bible so the israelis wont feel any conection to the land of israel ?
What occupied territories?
There might be other incidents like that and certainly more punishment for those who did it is required. That will be the day when I will see something remotely similar to that enquiry on our neighbor's part. While the IDF investigations might be not adequate, the punishment not fit the crime but still something is being done. At the very least it is being said openly that we should not behave that way.
War sucks, but that's what it was....don't see the other side investigating their own war crimes, though
in fully scrutinizing what really went on during Cast Least. Ensure the punishment meted out is commensurate with the war crime and do not neglect bringing to justice superiors at all levels who condoned such actions beforehand.
Or is the reason for your neglecting to mention the cause of what started "Cast Lead" more important to omit than to admit? Israel is the only one of the parties mentioned who brings her own to justice while Hamas and Fatah can't or wont. Somehow, the offenders guilty of the same charges there are called 'heroes'.
what about the other side. Do they also stand to be judged on their behavior or is it only the dastardly Israelis that are constantly judged persecuting the poor innocent Palestinians. Oh I forgot...Hamas are freedom fighters so they can do what they want...right???
victims of their own actions.
These soldiers were suffering temporary mental breakdown at the time due to the situation they found themselves in therefore a lengthy holiday will bring them back to their normal moral senses again.
(This is not sarcastic). Well we always knew that if they did anything wrong, the IDF would investigate it as they are a real and moral army.
Except that they don't always investigate it unless the media gets on to it.
yes, sure...Investigate a lot, but WITHOUT ANY PUNISHMENT TO CRIMINALS
Let us be fair, it is not only the IDF that commits war crimes and atrocities, ALL armies do ! Vietnam, Irak,Afghanistan, Serbia etc. etc.
But why so often we hear then from the israeli side that the IDF is the most moral army in the world????
and not everyone has declared their country to be a light unto nations.
so what is the punishment?????
I agree - this is dreadful reporting - surely what we also want to know the punishment is. If it's not yet determined, at least tell us that and when it is due.
I wonder how many Palestinians have been prosecuted in their courts (sic) for using children (and others) as human shields??????
Would you be surprised to learn that the latest suicide bombings in Iran were the handiwork of yours truly? How to Arabs tolerate this scourge? Are they completely blind to the fact that by raising these people with aim to genocide Israel they threaten own existence? These sick puppies will be killed one by one as soon as they either fail to secure, or achieve their objective. Their only path to survival is to work with Israel like daughter with mother. Israel is their mother’s tit that will give them at least a glimmer of hope to live.
Mothers bring up their daughters, we do not use them as shields to protect our selves, we shield them from violence. And that goes for our sons to, we do not teach them to use our enemy's kids as weapons or to hate kids, our future
idf protocols regarding human shields are correct and in conformity with the highest standards of warfare, conventional or otherwise. the conviction of the two idf soldiers for the use of a child as a human shield is also correct and absolutely necessary. the use of a child as a human shield is in total contravention of the laws of war.
The Muslim terrorists in Gaza used their own children as human shields, not two of them, like those soldiers, by many. What will be their punishment? I am joking. There is no parallel between the army of a Jewish, free, democratic country and a Muslim terrorist group.