Daily Alert Archives

IDF Investigation of the Gaza Operation

(Israel Defense Forces) The Military Advocate General has decided to indict a number of officers and soldiers for their conduct during four incidents in the 2009 Gaza operation. IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi ordered an examination of IDF conduct and its ethical aspects. More than 150 incidents have been examined and nearly 50 investigations have been launched since the operation's conclusion. The investigation found that a battalion commander authorized the sending of a Palestinian man into a house (adjacent to his own) sheltering terrorists, in order to convince them to exit the house. The Palestinian man asked the soldiers if he could do this so as to prevent the destruction of his house if a battle were to transpire. The battalion commander deviated from authorized and appropriate IDF behavior when he authorized the Palestinian's request to enter the house. An IDF staff sergeant will be indicted on charges of manslaughter for targeting an individual walking with a group of people waving a white flag, without being ordered or authorized to do so. An aerial strike targeted a terror operative involved in the launching of rockets toward Israel who was standing outside of the Ibrahim al-Makadma mosque. Injuries caused to civilians inside were unintentional and caused by shrapnel that penetrated the mosque. The investigation showed that the officer who ordered the attack had failed to exercise appropriate judgment. The attack did not target the mosque, and when it was authorized, no possibility of harming civilians was identified.
2010-07-07 08:26:23
Full Article