12 Responses to A ‘Different Category of Aggression’: IDF Soldiers Authorized to Kill Civilians in Gaza

1. ubetchaiam March 19th, 2009 at 1:48 pm «

   The Israeli government -and now it’s citizen’s given the last election- have basically invalidated their holiest books, the Torah, Tanakh and Talmud.
   Woe be unto them.
2. macaquerman March 19th, 2009 at 3:24 pm «

   Thank you for the report. What kind of thing can Israel say that could justify their adoption of tactics that approach the repulsiveness of Hamas’, particularly when Israel has the weaponry that make killing so much more efficient.
3. Imhotep March 19th, 2009 at 7:52 pm «

   Kudos for bringing this to oxdown. The reports in Haaretz.com are shameful.
• macaquerman March 19th, 2009 at 9:14 pm «

  That’s not really true. Ha’aretz ran a great many stories detailing what was going on. It remaining a far more credible news source than al -Jazeera
• Imhotep March 20th, 2009 at 10:36 am «

  Haaretz’s REPORTING is excellent. The REPORTS of IDF atrocities are shameful.
  I read Haaretz regularly and especially appreciate Gideon Levy’s POV.
• macaquerman March 20th, 2009 at 11:13 am «

  Ah! You mean that the reports are of shameful atrocities.
  I’m sorry not to have correctly understood you and was not trying to bust your bunions.
4. bluebutterfly March 19th, 2009 at 11:19 pm «

   ” According to the squad leader: “The sharpshooter saw a woman and children approaching him, closer than the lines he was told no one should pass. He shot them straight away. In any case, what happened is that in the end he killed them.

   The squad leader said he argued with his commander over the permissive rules of engagement that allowed the clearing out of houses by shooting without warning the residents beforehand. After the orders were changed, the squad leader’s soldiers complained that “we should kill everyone there [in the center of Gaza]. Everyone there is a terrorist.”

   http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1072040.html
• macaquerman March 20th, 2009 at 2:42 pm «

  thanks.
5. tennisman March 20th, 2009 at 9:21 am «

   So human error led to some unnecessary deaths. That`s war. The IDF should work on preventing such tragedies, but this is not the point.
   The point is Israel is dealing with an evil enemy who has no qualms about endangering ordinary Palestinians if its in the name of self-preservation and creating bad press for Israel.
   Hamas maims and kills Israelies, though happily the numbers are small because Israel and Israelies have chosen to pour resources into protection. Hamas also maims and kiss Palestinians by using them as human shields and by simply locating their fighters in and around Gaza civilians. Doing the former is a crime against humanity and the latter is reckless. Both involve moral turpitude. Israel may well be “guilty” of being being lax but this laxness is largely a function of mortal risk. Israel isn`t guilty of moral turpitude, only imperfect self defence.
   By the way, when have Hamas or the Palestinians ever investigated themselves or held a commission on their rules of engagement and their actions in war?
   War is a nasty business and unintended things happen even to the best trained armies. The difference between the IDF and arab armies or Hamas is that the IDF looks into these matters.
• RickinSF March 20th, 2009 at 11:07 am «

  “….The difference between the IDF and arab armies or Hamas is that the IDF looks into these matters.”

  you forgot to include, “…before finding their soldiers blameless.”
6. zak822 March 20th, 2009 at 2:07 pm «

   Tennisman, Israel is only making matters worse by murdering Gazans like this.

   Israel cannot continue in this manner, not for much longer. The Palestinians, in all their flavors (Hamas, Fatah, Hezbollah, etc)are eroding Israel’s technological advantages. Their missiles are becoming longer range and more accurate. They have developed very effective tank killing tactics, such that armored vehicles did not enter Gaza but stayed on the periphery. Which means troops had to go door to door, leading to recon by fire to keep down casualties. And recon by fire creates more guerilla fighters seeking vengence. Iraq has produced a huge cadre of well trained fighters eager to share their skills with fighters in Gaza.

   Remember, a guy here in the US built a working cruise missile with off the shelf parts–complete with guidance system. The IRA taught a number of terror groups how to make explosively formed projectiles–armor busters.

   You notice I didn’t get into the morality of the matter. The “Israel can do no wrong” approach does her no favor. Israel must either find a path to peace, or she is doomed. The status quo is unsustainable.
7. tennisman March 21st, 2009 at 11:07 am «

   really..? what would you do if 8000 missiles and rockets were fired at your towns, if public buses and starbucks were being blown up by suicide bombers, by a radical islamic group who doesn’t believe you have the right to exist and vows to destroy you. I guess you would just throw down your weapons and commit suicide. Sorry – Israel won’t do that. Israel can and does do wrong, but they will defend themselves as any country in their situation would do. It’s not as if they don’t go half way around the world fighting wars like the US or Britian does. They are battling on their own borders for their own survival out of necessity, not out of enjoyment of fighting.