Subscribe to Print Edition | Thu., December 11, 2008 Kislev 14, 5769 | | Israel Time: 02:33 (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

Anti-torture group calls on AG to probe IDF assassinations in W. Bank By Tomer Zarchin The Public Committee Against Torture in Israel is demanding the attorney general order a criminal investigation to determine whether any crimes were committed in the planning and execution of past targeted assassinations. Attorneys Avigdor Feldman and Michael Sfard wrote Attorney General Menachem Mazuz a letter, asking him to clearly and unconditionally prohibit assassinations when detention is an alternative, and to prohibit giving advance approval to harming innocent bystanders. Advertisement They also demanded Mazuz establish a committee to examine the constitutionality of past assassinations, as the High Court of Justice called for in a 2006 ruling. Two weeks ago, Haaretz Magazine published an investigation by Uri Blau that revealed the Israel Defense Forces approved assassinations in the West Bank even when detention appeared to be a viable alternative. In addition, the most senior IDF echelons gave advance approval to assassinations that would kill innocent Palestinian bystanders. In their letter, Feldman and Sfard quoted remarks by former Central Command head Major-General (res.) Yair Naveh that they say demonstrate criminal intent, and echo statements by Dan Halutz, the commanding officer responsible for the 2002 assassination of Hamas leader Salah Shahadeh. An Israeli F-16 dropped a 1-ton bomb on the apartment building in Gaza where Shahadeh was staying, killing him along with his wife, his daughter and 15 Palestinian civilians, including 11 children between the ages of two months and 14 years. In an interview with Haaretz a few months after the incident, Halutz maintained that Military Intelligence was not aware innocent civilians might be in the apartment building that night, and when asked what a pilot feels when dropping a bomb, he famously replied, "I feel a light bump to the plane as the bomb is released. A second later, it's gone, and that's all." Feldman and Sfard argued there was a "chilling similarity" between the prima facie illegal actions of both generals and the two men's attitudes. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Back in the Mideast Carter may meet with Hezbollah officials during his visit in Lebanon. Bush's final days Olmert has a thing or two to learn from Bush about an exit strategy.

Read & React Feiglin's missing manifesto: Israel should quit UN, cut off water to Palestinians Responses: 264 Yossi Sarid / Feiglin and his cronies are fascists by any definition Responses: 144 Bush's final days: What W can teach Olmert about exit strategy Responses: 25 Reuven Pedatzur: Why can't the IDF handle a few dozen Gaza terrorists? Responses: 35 More Headlines 23:40 Obama wants to 'reboot' America's image in the Muslim world 01:13 Tzipi Livni slams Likud list as 'been there, done that' 00:36 Report: Israeli envoy to U.K. accuses church service of being anti-Semitic 19:16 UN General Assembly chief tries to block Israeli envoy's address 21:01 Anti-Terror Bureau warns Israelis not to travel to Goa 15:57 Nobel Peace Prize winner urges Obama to focus on Middle East 01:19 Barak: Israel will act in Gaza when time and place are right 01:17 Feiglin: Israel should pay Palestinians to quit West Bank 16:56 Barak approves transfer of NIS 100 million to Gaza banks 21:21 Comedian Gil Kopatch to lead Green Leaf party in Knesset elections 20:49 Probe reveals voting irregularities during '07 elections for Labor chairman 14:05 Hezbollah leaders refuse to meet with Carter in Lebanon 17:05 Survey: Most Israelis think state must crack down on sex industry 01:11 Court indicts settler caught shooting Palestinians in Hebron 16:15 Ultra-Orthodox pressure leads finance committee to approve budget changes Previous Editions Select Day 10 dec 09 dec 08 dec 07 dec 05 dec 04 dec 03 dec 02 dec 01 dec 30 nov 28 nov 27 nov

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