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Last update - 21:13 25/01/2009
Israel to grant legal aid to IDF troops accused of Gaza war crimes
By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondent and Haaretz Service
Tags: Israel, Gaza, War crimes 

The Cabinet declared on Sunday that it would grant aid and support to Israel Defense Forces officers in cases where they face suits for alleged war crimes committed in Gaza.

"Israel will give full support to everyone who operated for it and on behalf of it. The commanders and soldiers who were sent to Gaza need to know that they are safe from various tribunals," Prime Minister Ehud Olmert announced at the opening of the weekly cabinet meeting.

The bill, titled "strengthening the IDF's hand after Operation Cast Lead", was put forward by Defense Minister Ehud Barak, and coordinated by the Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Justice and State Prosecutor.
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There is growing concern at the Defense Ministry and the Ministry of Justice that Israeli officers will be singled out in a wave of suits for alleged human rights violations during the recent 3-week offensive against Hamas.

"The terrorist organizations and Hamas were mistaken in thinking that Israel would reconcile itself to [rocket] fire and not respond," Olmert added.

"Now after the operation, the organizations are trying to settle accounts with the State of Israel, and one of the central arenas in which they are doing so is the arena of international law, by means of the moralistic diplomatic tact that characterizes these groups."

Defense Minister Ehud Barak joined Olmert in pledging support for the soldiers. Calling the IDF "the most moral army in the world," Barak said troops would receive governmental backing against accusations from abroad and "self-flagellation" from within Israel.

Olmert added that terror organizations are trying to turn attacker into attacked and vice-versa by pinning responsibility on IDF soldiers instead of blaming terrorism. He said also said Justice Minister Daniel Friedmann would consult with Israel's top legal experts and find "answers to possible questions relating to the Israeli military's activities" during the campaign.

More than 1,250 Palestinians were reportedly killed during Israel's offensive against Hamas in the coastal territory. Israel has been harshly criticized for the large number of civilians among the Palestinian dead, of whom they numbered more than half according to Gaza officials.


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      1.   The fundamental question 12:36  |  H 25/01/09
      2.   Israel to grant legal aid to IDF troops accused of Gaza war crime 13:07  |  Rashid 25/01/09
      3.   H - here is a reply for you 13:11  |  Natallie Durson 25/01/09
      4.   passive aggression against Israel 13:15  |  lily 25/01/09
      5.   The name Israel is already sullied beyond repair 17:04  |  Pronsias 25/01/09
      6.   Who will defend , or rather prosecute 17:09  |  TOMY 25/01/09
      7.   Mark Regev bombared UK Tv channels with "We will investigate..." 17:10  |  JustMe 25/01/09
      8.   human shields won`t work 17:25  |  judith 25/01/09
      9.   No spine. 17:26  |  Bazmann 25/01/09
      10.   reply to 5 Human shield 20:09  |  Akram 25/01/09
      11.   What is at stake? 20:33  |  Martin Greenspan 25/01/09
      12.   my country right or wrong 20:49  |  sean 25/01/09
      13.   If Hamas had won the War ..... 21:10  |  Charles 25/01/09
      14.   Small crimes 21:16  |  Abu Justice 25/01/09
      15.   (2nd try) Israel Military Investigations into alleged war crimes? 21:48  |  Maureen Ann 25/01/09
      16.   Isreal 21:55  |  rae 25/01/09
      17.   It Will Never Go Anywhere Anyway 22:00  |  Jeff Northridge 25/01/09
      18.   Israel to grant legal aid to idf troops 22:22  |  P. Kavanagh 25/01/09
      19.   Green Light To Commit War Crimes 22:32  |  joanna 25/01/09
      20.   Israel`s risk 22:37  |  mendel-the-mean 25/01/09
      21.   Imprison the war criminals 23:23  |  Jonathan 25/01/09
      22.   Rashid 2 00:04  |  ChanahS 26/01/09
      23.   What a funny little (military) censorship? 01:49  |  Maureen Ann 26/01/09
      24.   Response to Jonathan - New Zealand 02:17  |  Avi 26/01/09
      25.   Censorship is destroying Haaretz... 02:24  |  BBSNews 26/01/09
      26.   JONATHAN how did you sleep when Qassams landed on Israeli kindys? 02:42  |  PETER SM 26/01/09
      27.   Sooner or lateIr srael`s leaders will pay for Gaza war crimes 04:18  |  BIG 26/01/09
      28.   Peter the wizard of OZ 04:26  |  john and the TRUTH! 26/01/09
      29.   To BBSNews (# 25). You want "Western style democracy"? 04:33  |  flyingdoc57 26/01/09
      30.   Gaza war crimes! 05:37  |  Margaret 26/01/09
      31.   Serving anti-Israel propaganda? 07:07  |  David R. Zukerman 26/01/09
      32.   Welcome in Europe IDF heroes - ICC next 09:03  |  Niklas Ekdal 26/01/09
      33.   war crimes 09:07  |  Soldier`s Mom 26/01/09
      34.   two sides of the fundmental question 14:27  |  Tom 26/01/09
      35.   A British view... 14:59  |  John Smith 26/01/09
      36.   Punish the higher ups 15:44  |  Tom 26/01/09
      37.   did hamas use women and children as shields 17:57  |  tj 26/01/09
      38.   Its the innocents stupid 23:32  |  Jonathan 26/01/09
      39.   Israel to grant legal aid to IDF troops accused of Gaza war crime 23:38  |  n_erber 26/01/09
      40.   Israel to grant legal aid to IDF troops accused of Gaza war crime 00:09  |  n_erber 27/01/09
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