Subscribe to Print Edition | Tue., April 28, 2009 Iyyar 4, 5769 | | Israel Time: 06:28 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
Haaretz Toolbar
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Car Rental
Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Focus U.S.A. Travel Week's End Anglo File TLV 100
IDF soldiers ordered to shoot at Gaza rescuers, note says
By Amira Hass, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: Amira Hass, Israel news

GAZA STRIP - "Rules of Engagement: Open fire also upon rescue," was handwritten in Hebrew on a sheet of paper found in one of the Palestinian homes the Israel Defense Forces took over during Operation Cast Lead. A reservist officer who did not take part in the Gaza offensive believes that the note is part of orders a low-level commander wrote before giving his soldiers their daily briefing.

One of the main themes in news reports during the Gaza operation, and which appears in many testimonies, is that IDF soldiers shot at Palestinian and Red Cross rescuers, making it impossible to evacuate the wounded and dead. As a result, an unknown number of Palestinians bled to death as others cowered in their homes for days without medical treatment, waiting to be rescued.

The bodies of the dead lay outside the homes or on roadsides for days, sometimes as long as two weeks. Haaretz has reported a number of such cases, some of them as they happened. The document found in the house provides written proof that IDF commanders ordered their troops to shoot at rescuers.
Advertisement

The sheet of paper entitled "Situational Assessment" was found by a field researcher of The Palestinian Center for Human Rights in the home of Sami Dardone's family in Jabal al-Rayes, east of Jabalya. The extended Dardone family lives in about 40 homes in this neighborhood, built on a hilltop. Some of the homes were taken over by the army to house troops during the offensive and to serve as sniping positions, or for shooting in general.

Most of the homes were seriously damaged when the IDF directly bombed them or other targets nearby at the start of the ground operation. This was also the reason the homes' residents fled on January 4. When the residents returned to the neighborhood at the end of the offensive on January 18, they found that the IDF had completely destroyed some of the homes, in addition to those that had been damaged by shelling and others that were wrecked when soldiers broke in through the walls. Sometimes the soldiers needed explosives to break in.

A military source told Haaretz that "the document that was found is not an official document signed by a particular commander, and as such the IDF cannot comment on fragments of sentences that were jotted down on a piece of paper, and asks that this not be interpreted as directives and instructions that were issued by commanders."

'Situational assessment'

According to the reservist officer who did not participate in Operation Cast Lead and who received a copy of the document via fax, the "Situational Assessment" was written by a platoon commander, or at the highest level a company commander. The reservist says the author of the "Situational Assessment" was making notes to brief his soldiers based on a briefing that low-ranking commanders receive from senior officers.

The date on the sheet is "16.1.08," clearly an error because it should read one year later. It comments on political and military events that occurred in mid-January 2009. It's possible to conclude that the author is discussing the possibility of a cease-fire, which was being discussed publicly by Israeli officials at that time.

"The next 24 hours are important; there is a likelihood they [Hamas] will not accept the agreement," the author writes. He also mentions the "Interior Minister." The reference is probably to Hamas Interior Minister Said al-Sayam, who was killed on January 15 when the IDF bombed his home. Four members of his family and five members of a neighbor's family were killed. Among the dead were four children.

The commander's notes toward the top of the sheet are largely a short political briefing - for example, "the local leadership wants [a cease-fire], the external [Hamas leadership] is out of touch" - and an assessment of the enemy's intentions - "the enemy would like to achieve a kidnapping [of soldiers], the destruction of homes."

"Rules of Engagement" is written in the lower half of the sheet, along with one other category: - "Operational Routine."

The following is written: "Rules of Engagement: Fire also upon rescue. Not on women and children. Beyond the tantcher - incrimination."

"Tantcher" is what the IDF calls Salah al-Din - the route that runs the length of the Gaza Strip. The home of the Dardone family is east of the route, so it is possible to assume these are instructions on shooting at anyone crossing the route to the east into areas held by the IDF.

A reservist soldier who did not participate in Cast Lead says that to the best of his knowledge "incrimination" refers to the process of identifying whether a person approaching is a terrorist.

The reservist officer who did not take part in the Gaza operation spoke with reservists who said "incriminating" was a shoot-to-kill order, contrary to "suspect procedure," in which shots are fired in the air and then at the legs.

The IDF spokesman said in response that "IDF forces were given unequivocal instructions not to fire at those identified as not being involved in the fighting, and to assist as much as possible injured Palestinians under battle conditions."

The reservist officer told Haaretz that "according to the details mentioned in the paper it appears the author was a low-ranking officer who dealt with the affairs of about 30 soldiers - like organizing their platoon equipment and oiling their weapons."

He says the author might have taken part in an earlier briefing by more senior officers and took notes for his political and military briefing. That is where he received his instructions on the rules of engagement.

"The rules of engagement are not something the platoon or company commander makes up," the reservist officer said.

According to the graffiti left in the Dardone homes, and based on what is known about the IDF's deployment in the Strip, the unit involved was part of the Golani Brigade.

The last portion of the document is entitled "Operational Routine - Fighting Timeline," and includes things such as guard duty, responsibility for platoon equipment and briefings. Under "Operational Routine" a note is included whose title can be translated as "Shitting of Houses."

The reservist officer and soldier with whom Haaretz spoke said they were not aware of that term.

Many of the homes the IDF troops took over were left in particularly unsanitary conditions; the residents of Sami Dardone's home found their clothes in piles with obvious signs of human feces.

Sealed bags

Haaretz asked the IDF spokesman whether "Shitting of Houses" refers to "an intentional action of turning the homes into latrines, or whether the commander wanted to talk to his soldiers about the fact that they had turned their living space into latrines."

A reservist soldier who took part in Cast Lead told the reservist officer that "going to the toilet was part of the briefing, and perhaps 'Shitting of Houses' is a reference in the briefing to where to pile up the sealed bags the IDF provides the soldiers for relieving themselves."

The IDF spokesman said that "soldiers who were in the homes were instructed to relieve themselves in areas where it did not endanger their lives, mostly inside the house, and which allowed them to carry out their operational activities in the best possible way, and for as long as it would be necessary."

The other side of the "Situational Assessment" sheet shows that it was written on a letter sent to the troops by a child. "To the Golani soldiers, good luck in the war," the letter reads in the hand of a young child. In the middle of the page there is a drawing of an armed soldier. "Love, the S. family."



Related articles:
  • IDF ceased long ago being 'most moral army in the world'
  • Testimonies on IDF misconduct in Gaza keep rolling in
  • Dead Palestinian babies and bombed mosques - IDF fashion 2009
    • Bookmark to del.icio.us  
     
    Memorial Day 2009
    Israel honors its fallen soldiers and victims of terror attacks.
    Making swine flu kosher
    Mexico Flu - a symptom of the disease of Israeli politics.
      1.   Why do you assume what is convenient, Amira ? 09:21  |  Mike 22/03/09
      2.   Terrorists in ambulance staff uniforms 09:59  |  Free Gilad Shalit 22/03/09
      3.   It`s interesting how the "incrimination" part 10:02  |  Alex 22/03/09
      4.   Why do you publish this, Ha`Aretz? 10:10  |  Proud of our IDF 22/03/09
      5.   THIS IS EVIDENCE?!?! 10:52  |  You`ve got to be... 22/03/09
      6.   Israel Death Force 11:19  |  Toby 22/03/09
      7.   Why some faint being so surprised? 11:40  |  Cath 22/03/09
      8.   I`m afraid if this story is true, then IDF officers..... 11:46  |  Swiss (Dino) 22/03/09
      9.   above 11:46  |  Elina 22/03/09
      10.   Leftist propaganda 11:49  |  Ralph 22/03/09
      11.   magnify glass burns subject 11:49  |  tzvi 22/03/09
      12.   Haaretz stinks 11:51  |  Grey 22/03/09
      13.   Do the damage now, check the facts later 11:57  |  David Olesker 22/03/09
      14.   "Not on women and children." 12:27  |  Joe 22/03/09
      15.   Handwritten note 12:37  |  Cassandra 22/03/09
      16.   Understanding Kosher. I am curious... 12:58  |  Maureen Ann 22/03/09
      17.   Do you ignore what is inconvenient, Mike? 13:17  |  Goy 22/03/09
      18.   "A reservist officer who did not take part in the Gaza offensive" 13:24  |  PETER SM 22/03/09
      19.   Amira Haas 13:34  |  Adam 22/03/09
      20.   when one-sided journalism does not pay 13:37  |  Laura 22/03/09
      21.   And what about "Protocols of Zion"? 13:38  |  msh 22/03/09
      22.   Prehaps it is no accident 13:39  |  Chris Linthwaite 22/03/09
      23.   2 Months Later A Scrap Of Paper Is Found? 14:00  |  Moshe ben Yitzhak 22/03/09
      24.   Could be fake -- but only because it`s so incredible 14:21  |  Colin Wright 22/03/09
      25.   Typical Haaretz 14:32  |  Sidney 22/03/09
      26.   Amira Hass and the Gaza War 14:35  |  Judith Nusbaum 22/03/09
      27.   \Amira Hass and reality 14:38  |  Judith Nusbaum 22/03/09
      28.   Amira Hass: same old - same old 14:44  |  Nechama 22/03/09
      29.   Amira uncovers the truth yet again... 14:51  |  BBSNews 22/03/09
      30.   Another canard by Amira 14:51  |  Reuven 22/03/09
      31.   Proud of IDF too 15:28  |  Daniela 22/03/09
      32.   Mike: probably forgot it was 2009 15:37  |  AT 22/03/09
      33.   to #27 why do you live in Israel? 15:47  |  Akov Sneer 22/03/09
      34.   2months later - how convenient! 16:06  |  Gary 22/03/09
      35.   Anyone could of written a note in hebrew duh 16:22  |  naftali 22/03/09
      36.   #8 Siwiss Dingo, Amira story is so famished that no 16:47  |  Israeli Observer 22/03/09
      37.   IS THIS `EVIDENCE`? 16:49  |  Ian 22/03/09
      38.   no it does not 17:02  |  rs 22/03/09
      39.   IDF soldier 18:37  |  Yosef Leibowitz 22/03/09
      40.   TERRORISM 18:41  |  James 22/03/09
      41.   IDF Soldiers 18:55  |  Hussein 22/03/09
      42.   no difference between this story and the one accusing israel of 19:11  |  so what 22/03/09
      43.   If Low Level Commander Wrote This Note 19:21  |  Brad 22/03/09
      44.   The"legend" and "shame" of Gaza. 19:24  |  a wandering Jew 22/03/09
      45.   IDF Orders 19:38  |  Zion Segal 22/03/09
      46.   Palestinians can write Hebrew, childs letter ..... 20:01  |  bernard ross 22/03/09
      47.   I always believe that what happens in the Army 20:30  |  Ines 22/03/09
      48.   Besides 20:54  |  Lola 22/03/09
      49.   Misleading headline? 03:30  |  Yitzhak 23/03/09
      50.   I`ve seen it too 03:33  |  utagawa 23/03/09
      51.   A well-educated Israel commander won`t write a note like that! 05:08  |  Maria 23/03/09
      52.   #44. legends 07:03  |  Tony Price 23/03/09
      53.   shoot rescuers 09:03  |  zoe 23/03/09
      54.   #42 So what, let me explain how hasbarah works 09:04  |  Johnboy 23/03/09
      55.   JOHNBOY Let me explain to you how innuendo works 10:07  |  PETER SM 23/03/09
      56.   Purity of arms 16:06  |  Gilad 23/03/09
      57.   Adam from the Hague... 18:54  |  ben 23/03/09
      58.   #21 MSH 20:09  |  janet 23/03/09
      59.   "The Case of the Handwritten Note" right after "The Case of the 21:50  |  Simha 23/03/09
      60.   Shoot at Rescuers 21:50  |  Jasper 23/03/09
      61.   Hass is Peddling Another al-Durra Hoax 22:52  |  massaraksh 23/03/09
      62.   #2 Free some prisoner of war - Please provide 01:25  |  Christopher 24/03/09
      63.   Christopher 03:13  |  Jasper 24/03/09
      64.   #59 Jasper - Thanks for that. 04:12  |  Christopher 24/03/09
      65.   Christopher 05:37  |  Jasper 24/03/09
      66.   IDF soldiers ordered to shoot at Gaza rescuers 14:12  |  Yossef 24/03/09
      67.   Amira Hiss 23:29  |  The Teacher/Instruct 24/03/09
      68.   Anti- Semitic Self Loathing of Amira Hass Goes Global 12:54  |  Michael Disend 25/03/09
      69.   IDF soldiers ordered to shoot at Gaza rescuers 17:42  |  hank_ 25/03/09
      70.   # 68 Michael Disend 19:53  |  The Teacher/Instruct 25/03/09
      71.   War crimes. Shameful, really. IDF should be held responsible 20:43  |  Daneia 25/03/09
      72.   The Handwritten order is Misinterpreted... 06:16  |  The Archives 28/04/09
     Read & React
    'Obama's rabbi': Support for Israel doesn't mean blanket approval
    Responses: 84
    Jerusalem insists Jewish building in Arab neighborhood is legitimate
    Responses: 89
    Report: Obama wants aid to go to PA even if Hamas joins government
    Responses: 64
    Abbas: I won't recognize Israel as a Jewish state
    Responses: 109


    More Headlines
    02:06 Israel honors fallen IDF soldiers, terror victims
    05:53 'Every step that strengthens Hamas only distances peace'
    05:55 Barak: Israel can and must make peace within three years
    00:28 Israel: PA recognition of Jewish state 'crucial' for reconciliation
    05:56 U.S. envoy to visit Gulf over Iran's nuclear program
    05:58 Venezuela and PA establish official ties in wake of Gaza war
    06:01 'I thought I could be kidnapped, then I thought of my daughter'
    06:03 Ten Sudanese refugees head back home in pilot mission
    21:43 WATCH: Daily news round-up from Israel
    06:05 Israel to celebrate 61st birthday with concerts, military shows
    06:07 Border Policeman gets 8 years for killing Palestinian in 2002
    06:09 Lod cops uncover Heroin stash in preschool raid
    06:13 Only state-run Jewish-Arab school threatened with closure
    06:11 Iraqi Israelis scramble for family 'hidden treasure' in U.K.
    06:15 Workmen in Poland find letter written by Auschwitz inmates
    22:28 Could the Taliban get the bomb before Iran does?
    Previous Editions
    Special Offers
    Advertisement
    Spring Specials-Dan Hotels
    Jerusalem from 179$. Tel-Aviv from 223$. Herzliya from 336$
    The Meier on Rothschild Tower
    Masterpiece Residence in the Heart of Tel Aviv
    Dead Sea Skin Care
    Quality cosmetics from the Dead Sea. Coupon code HAARETZ for 12% off!
    Camp Kimama Israel 2009
    The best place for your children this summer
    Eldan Rent a Car
    Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on online reservations
    Jewish Singles Personal Ads
    Find the love of your life on JDate.com
    Junkyard
    Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt
    Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | | Israel 2009 election results
    Site rules | Makom: Engaging on 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