IDF probes soldiers' use of Palestinian human shields<br><br> - Haaretz

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Last update - 00:17 06/06/2007

IDF probes soldiers' use of Palestinian human shields

By Amos Harel, Haaretz Correspondent

Israel Defense Forces' criminal investigation division is probing soldiers' use of Palestinians as human shields during raids in the West Bank town of Nablus. The investigation will include the questioning of senior officers, and could have repercussions in the next round of general staff appointments.

The affair began over three months ago, when foreign television crews filmed IDF soldiers forcing Palestinians to search their neighbors' homes for militants, in case the wanted gunmen should open fire. Some two years ago, upon completing a long and drawn out legal debate, the High Court of Justice decided to outlaw the use of Palestinians as human shields, as it endangers their lives and violates their basic human rights. The IDF has since pledged to refrain from doing this, though from time to time there have been recorded incidents of such behavior.

After the last incident was released in the media, the Military Advocate General ordered the military police's criminal investigation division to launch a probe into the incident. The investigation has so far revealed that some of the IDF units operating in the West Bank have continued to use Palestinian human shields despite the IDF's explicit policy against it. Senior officers are to be questioned on suspicions that they knew of these violations and allowed them to continue.

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The investigation has begun to radiate onto the upcoming round of appointments in the general staff. In the past, Brigadier General Yair Golan, the commander of the forces in the West Bank, has been mentioned as a possible candidate to replace Major General Gadi Shamni as the prime minister's military secretary. However, IDF Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi decided that Golan would not be among the candidates for the job. Though it is believed that Ashkenazi didn't really want to appoint Golan to the post in the first place, sources in the IDF believe that the investigation has eliminated Golan's chances of getting the promotion. In an official response, the IDF spokesman told Haaretz that "the appointment has not yet been decided and we don't intend to discuss the matter until a decision is made."

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1.	It is a sad state of affairs	00:28	\|	David	06/06/07

2.	Who exactly is there left to be fooled by such probes?	00:30	\|	Hannah	06/06/07

3.	Don`t do this	00:39	\|	Paul Freedman	06/06/07

4.	"Soldiers` use"	00:42	\|	JJ	06/06/07

5.	"shields"	00:50	\|	akiva P	06/06/07

6.	Decline of moral values as logical consequence of war	01:45	\|	Swiss (Dino)	06/06/07

7.	Israel`s security onjce again dismissed	02:14	\|	Shaun	06/06/07

8.	questioning soldiers instead of questioning leaders 4 prtl occpti	02:16	\|	ADAM	06/06/07

9.	#2 what israel? where? 1	02:54	\|	Ahmed	06/06/07

10.	#2 what israel? where? 2	02:59	\|	Ahmed	06/06/07

11.	High Court outlawed it ? How about Israelis as	03:04	\|	Sal	06/06/07

12.	Palestinian Use of Human Shields	03:33	\|	Frank Vanherstal	06/06/07

13.	WHO WROTE RULES OF WAR	03:39	\|	TOBIA	06/06/07

14.	Its no surpise	04:38	\|	Guy From NYC	06/06/07

15.	9	05:18	\|	Rob	06/06/07

16.	ach-made-up	06:13	\|	JfromC	06/06/07

17.	#2	06:30	\|	Benjamin	06/06/07

18.	#10, Guy from NYC	07:33	\|	Hannah	06/06/07

19.	Just human beings ......	08:06	\|	Esther	06/06/07

20.	Who is interested in these Mafia-internals?	09:35	\|	Andreas	06/06/07

21.	Yet another probe to placate Western Govs	11:03	\|	Hadan	06/06/07

22.	Better Pals than Israelis	23:47	\|	Francois	07/06/07

23.	Notice that none of the whiners condemn Pals	10:34	\|	David teich	10/06/07

24.	THESE LIES WILL NEVER STOP.	07:42	\|	MIKE	22/07/07

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