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Last update - 00:21 31/03/2009
Gaza probe / Either troops are liars, or the IDF is pure as snow
By Amos Harel, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: Gaza Strip, IDF, Israel News

One would be hard-pressed not to express astonishment at the speed and efficiency demonstrated by the Military Advocate General, Brigadier-General Avichai Mendelblit, and the Military Police investigation unit in probing the "combat soldiers' testimonials affair" that took place at the Rabin pre-military training academy. The investigation into Moshe (Chico) Tamir's all-terrain vehicle accident made its way from desk-drawer to desk-drawer over the course of almost 18 months, yet the military advocate general needed just 11 days (including two Saturdays) to probe the accounts of combat soldiers in order to completely dispel the allegations.

There is something soothing in the exhaustive investigation by the military advocate general. The IDF emerges from it (and from the Gaza Strip) as pure as snow. Yet at the same time there is a disconcerting message emanating from the closure of the investigation, one which, at least according to Brig. Gen. Mendelblit, a group of combat soldiers and officers serving in some of the finest units in the IDF has proven to be nothing but a bunch of liars and exaggerating storytellers, men who have not uttered one truthful word.

The military advocate general picks apart the testimonials brick by brick. Not only does he present alternative versions to the two most damning claims - the alleged shooting of a Palestinian mother and her children as well as the killing of an elderly Palestinian woman - but he also expends great effort in concealing a series of other allegations of improper behavior, from spitting on home photographs of Palestinian families to uprooting orchards to the use of white phosphorus bombs. Apparently, soldiers informed military police investigators of two more incidents in which civilians were mistakenly shot to death. Mendelblit retroactively provides a rationale for the soldiers' predicament in these cases as well.
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There is no reason to cast doubt on the sincerity of the military advocate general, or in the thoroughness of the military police investigators. Nonetheless, it is unclear how they can be so certain that the "combat soldiers' testimonials" were just a series of rumors and concoctions "while the soldiers were truthful during the investigations conducted by the military police and the Givati brigades commander."

Given the international firestorm ignited by the intial media stories of the accounts and the dilemma which the soldiers found themselves in vis-a-vis their commanders, it is as if the soldiers chose a reasonable exit strategy: they can claim that their accounts were based on rumors so as not to open themselves up to charges that they ratted out their comrades. This is pure conjecture, of course. The soldiers were not permitted to speak with journalists. In other units, commanders have warned their soldiers to speak with anyone outside of the army about what they witnessed in the Gaza Strip.

There is another factor that must be taken into consideration. The investigation is based solely on one side of the equation - the Israeli side. An Associated Press reporter who was in Gaza last week interviewed Palestinians about the incidents in question. Their recollections to some extent corroborate the descriptions of the alleged shootings as initially recalled by the soldiers.

The AP story was published last Thursday night, yet the IDF is ignoring its contents. Now it is clear that the IDF withdrawal from Gaza does not allow the army to conduct an on-site investigation. Yet the AP reporter who wrote the story is fluent in both Hebrew and English. How is it that the military police unit did not think to ask her of what she heard and saw in Gaza?

Related articles:
  • IDF ends Gaza probe, says misconduct claims are 'rumors'
  • IDF in Gaza: Killing civilians, vandalism, and lax rules of engagement
  • ANALYSIS / Can Israel dismiss its own troops' stories from Gaza?
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      1.   haaretz....u did enough damage already 23:31  |  rich 30/03/09
      2.   Maybe they are dirty snow? 23:36  |  dyinglikeflies 30/03/09
      3.   Either troops are liars, or the IDF is pure as snow 23:38  |  Joe Strapp 30/03/09
      4.   Go to hell Israel 23:50  |  POP 30/03/09
      5.   No coming back 23:57  |  Mordavig 30/03/09
      6.   Can`t doubt their sincerity? 00:00  |  David 31/03/09
      7.   Astnishing: A war and no smoking gun to pin the IDF with 00:01  |  Simha 31/03/09
      8.   Memo to Harel: Wake up 00:15  |  peacelover 31/03/09
      9.   wrong again it is you who are the exagerator of untruthes 00:16  |  ralph 31/03/09
      10.   Rumors vs facts 00:22  |  Marc 31/03/09
      11.   Harel is upset that his rumour-mongering is exposed 00:24  |  A Nice Fellow 31/03/09
      12.   Mirror, mirror, on the wall 00:28  |  Mark Lincoln 31/03/09
      13.   #1 Rich. Where there is smoke there is fire. 00:34  |  Maureen Ann 31/03/09
      14.   Based on what we just heard on the news 00:35  |  Simha 31/03/09
      15.   not as quick as haaretz`sprobe 00:43  |  rob 31/03/09
      16.   "Either IDF troops are liars, or the army is pure as snow?"... 00:46  |  bat yam 31/03/09
      17.   Harel`s response. 00:46  |  sandra chitayat. 31/03/09
      18.   It`s a beat up 00:47  |  Peter Williams 31/03/09
      19.   #2 dyinglikeflies - forgot to take your meds? 00:48  |  PADDY 31/03/09
      20.   Booh Hooh, Harel. Cry me a river 00:50  |  Mark 31/03/09
      21.   "How is it that the military police unit did not think to ask her 00:52  |  just wondering 31/03/09
      22.   It is not one or the other. 00:53  |  de 31/03/09
      23.   are they beieng charged with liaing? 01:02  |  billy jack 31/03/09
      24.   How Much Time Did Haaretz, NY Times and Guardian Spend? 01:07  |  Rich 31/03/09
      25.   Sounds similar to our marines arrested for the murder of 01:08  |  Pssd off American. 31/03/09
      26.   Lie thy second name is IDF C 01:15  |  Jami 31/03/09
      27.   Rumor, pre-conceived notions, fact and evidence 01:20  |  Sliv the Eli 31/03/09
      28.   You call the following good excuses for your poor research? 01:21  |  curious 31/03/09
      29.   Sounds similar to our marines arrested for the murder of over 02:08  |  Pssd off American. 31/03/09
      30.   Questions to Amos Harel 02:14  |  Michael F 31/03/09
      31.   Or there is a third option 02:23  |  Chris linthwaite 31/03/09
      32.   Truth & smokescreens 03:34  |  Joan 31/03/09
      33.   #18, Paddy- I`m current on the meds...and on the facts 04:16  |  dyinglikeflies 31/03/09
      34.   Re: Booh Hooh, Harel. Cry me a river 04:35  |  Rachel 31/03/09
      35.   Loony Linthwaite 04:45  |  Notta Dhimmi 31/03/09
      36.   Truth & smokescreens 04:56  |  Joan 31/03/09
      37.   The rest of the world has seen the films though 05:29  |  Marilyn 31/03/09
      38.   This probe is farse 05:55  |  Northern 31/03/09
      39.   Bad Journalism 06:44  |  David 31/03/09
      40.   "phosphorus bombs" 06:45  |  genius among morons 31/03/09
      41.   #24 dyinglikeflies - Change the meds, they aint working! 06:56  |  PADDY 31/03/09
      42.   Cast Lead was pre-planned 06:58  |  rm 31/03/09
      43.   Truth Hurts 07:46  |  Nathan 31/03/09
      44.   #12 maureen ann - yes, Israel uses White Phosphorus (WP) 07:59  |  CK Tan 31/03/09
      45.   Same Old Story.... 08:04  |  Silvienne 31/03/09
      46.   Gaza probe / Either troops are liars, or the IDF is pure as snow 08:07  |  Kelley Abercrombie 31/03/09
      47.   Sadly, humans commit crimes during war and peace 08:11  |  Natallie Durson 31/03/09
      48.   Troops who hide their names have how much credibility? 08:19  |  Ilan 31/03/09
      49.   jounalism 08:21  |  james 31/03/09
      50.   Ashamed of the way the IDF brass have dealt with this... 08:30  |  Esther 31/03/09
      51.   When the soldiers themselves admitted it was hearsay 08:37  |  x-ray 31/03/09
      52.   Ilan 09:04  |  sh 31/03/09
      53.   Snowwhite and the yellow snow 09:11  |  raffa 31/03/09
      54.   Move along please, nothing to see. 09:37  |  Kenny Sedat 31/03/09
      55.   Response to Rich`s comment 10:15  |  CR 31/03/09
      56.   Do you all really trust your governments? 10:32  |  CR 31/03/09
      57.   IDF officials are a disgrace to soldiers in uniform 11:23  |  Dutch 31/03/09
      58.   Sounds similar to our marines arrested for the murder of over 15:29  |  Pssd off American. 31/03/09
      59.   Kenny Sadat Post Violates EUMC Law 16:23  |  Philo-Semite 31/03/09
      60.   #1.rich.Haaretz R JEWS too BUT of JEWISH VALUES. 20:13  |  Mark Harrison. 31/03/09
      61.   #2.dyinglikeflies. Yes man it was an UNJUST WAR. 20:27  |  Cyril 31/03/09
      62.   Marilyn #37 20:44  |  mark aleshnick 31/03/09
      63.   did you really expect anything less? or should i say "more"?(3rd 21:52  |  eric 31/03/09
      64.   Disgusting 03:08  |  Benjamin 01/04/09
      65.   IDF pure? 02:03  |  Catherine 03/04/09
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