Subscribe to Print Edition | Thu., November 27, 2008 Cheshvan 29, 5769 | | Israel Time: 01:34 (EST+7)   Back to Homepage web haaretz.com Haaretz Toolbar Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Car Rental Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate GA 2008 Travel Week's End Anglo File

Study: Only 6% of abuse claims against IDF lead to charges By Amos Harel Tags: israel news Just 6 percent of the 1,246 investigations opened by the military police regarding offenses against Palestinians and Palestinian property in the territories during the first seven years of the second intifada have led to indictments, according to a report to be released today by the human rights organization Yesh Din. The report, which bases its data on information provided by the military prosecution, also found that although some 2,000 Palestinian civilian noncombatants were killed by Israel Defense Forces fire during that time, according to human rights groups (defense officials say the number is far lower), only five soldiers and officers have been convicted of killing civilians, four of them on negligence charges. A total of 13 have been indicted. "A soldier who hits a bound Palestinian detainee or shoots an unarmed civilian knows the chances he will be tried or investigated are negligible," said Yesh Din research director Lior Yavne, who compiled the report. "The IDF has failed to uphold its obligation to protect the occupied population in the territories from the offenses of soldiers." Advertisement The IDF said it takes seriously any unnecessary harm to Palestinian civilians or damage to their property, "and thoroughly examines every complaint." "Every case is examined in its own right, without taking quotas or statistical measures into consideration," the IDF spokesman said. "You can't draw conclusions about the IDF's attitude toward inappropriate behavior or the way it deals with it from a statistical analysis of the data." Yesh Din says that while the IDF and the government describe the abuse or death of Palestinians as exceptions and say they will be strict with offenders, soldiers have rarely been tried for such offenses and even more rarely have they received harsh sentences. The IDF provided Yesh Din with the data for its report in accordance with the freedom of information law, but only after legal quibbling that lasted some 18 months. The problems described in the report are complicated further by the paucity of complaints filed by Palestinians, in part because the military prosecution does not have a regular investigations base in the West Bank, according to Yesh Din. The IDF said it established a "mission-related" military police base in 2006 tasked with investigating Palestinian complaints. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Who's missing? Haredi parties absent from Jerusalem coalition for first time in decades. 'Kavosh 2' Amid nuclear tensions, Iran says it successfully launched rocket.   1.   that many? wow, i guess media attention really DOES play a part! 09:58  |  eric 26/11/08

Read & React Documents reveal IDF killed wanted Palestinians against court guidelines Responses: 178 Israel asks Bush to explain its 'special relationship' with U.S. to Obama Responses: 115 Settler teens rampage through Palestinian neighborhood in Hebron Responses: 126 Aluf Benn: Obama's challenge will be to persuade Netanyahu to advance peace Responses: 57 Judea Pearl: Israel and Palestinians should apologize to each other Responses: 52 More Headlines 01:11 At least 80 people dead, hostages taken in multiple Mumbai attacks 23:55 AG seeks to indict Olmert over double-billing affair 22:07 Pines-Paz: It's a tragic day for Israel when a PM is indicted 23:44 Barak: We will evacuate settlers from Hebron house, by force if necessary 18:30 Lebanon asks Iran to supply its army with midsize weapons 23:40 UN watchdog clears Syria bid for atomic aid, despite world doubts 01:30 Who stole Hitler's golden bookmark? 17:27 Holocaust survivor to meet her Polish savior after 60 years 19:25 Haredi parties absent from Jerusalem coalition for first time in decades 18:29 Amid nuclear tensions, Iran says it successfully launched rocket 21:46 Borat's brother - a.k.a. Erran Baron Cohen - releases Hanukkah CD 18:28 Livni urges Thailand to commute Israeli drug smugglers' death sentence 18:28 Hamas, Fatah women brawl in Gaza as factional tempers flare 18:19 Short on fuel, Gazans use car batteries to restart power plant 13:31 Ban: Israel, Lebanon must 'seize the moment' and make peace 18:22 Settler rabbi: Peace Now chief should be jailed for treason Previous Editions Select Day 26 nov 25 nov 24 nov 23 nov 21 nov 20 nov 19 nov 18 nov 17 nov 16 nov 14 nov 13 nov

Special Offers Advertisement Living in Israel Studying in English Click & Meet our students from all around the world Living in Israel Studying in English Click & Meet our students from all around the world Dan Boutique Jerusalem New Dan Hotel in Jerusalem Young, Fun & Distinctively Dan Book Now Online! Fattal Hotel Chain Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel. Car rental in Israel Shlomo Sixt Receive $15.00 from our low rates. Dial 013 for your long-distance calls and get all your money back US CITIZENS Vote for real change. Request your ballot today! Eldan Rent a Car Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations Jewish Singles Personal Ads Find the love of your life on JDate.com Israel's Premier Real Estate Website www. israel-property.com Hebrew Summer courses From $39.95 Junkyard Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt

Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |

Real Estate in Israel | Travel to Israel with Haaretz | Hotels Israel | Restaurants Israel | Tourist attractions Israel | Shops Israel

birthright Israel | Search engine marketing

Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.

© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved