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IDF soldiers operating in West Bank City of Nablus, in June. (AP) del.icio.us Digg It!  new Last update - 11:25 18/12/2007 Rights group: IDF isn't enforcing law on troops in W. Bank, Gaza By Amos Harel, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: Palestinians, IDF, Yesh Din  Since the outbreak of the second intifada in September 2000, the Israel Defense Forces has initiated investigations in 1,091 cases against IDF soldiers suspected of criminal activity against Palestinians or their property. Of these cases, only 118 resulted in indictments, according to army statistics recently released to the Yesh Din human rights organization. According to the same statistics, released following a request from Yesh Din, during the first seven years of the intifada, 239 Military Police investigations, 22 percent of the total, were initiated in cases involving the injury or killing of Palestinians. Over the same period, the B'tselem human rights organization maintains that more than 2,000 Palestinian civilians were killed. The IDF's figures for the number of Palestinian civilians killed is much lower, but they too acknowledge that during those years, more than 1,000 "bystanders" were killed. Advertisement The Military Advocate General's office altered its investigations policy in the territories during the first few weeks of the outbreak of the intifada, which very quickly escalated into broad fighting. Instead of investigating every single Palestinian death, a decision was made by the MAG to investigate only the cases in which there was suspicion that civilians were harmed without justification. For example, investigations are currently initiated in (the relatively few) cases involving the death of Palestinian civilians in the West Bank as a result of IDF shooting. However, in the cases when innocents are harmed during assassinations carried out from the air in the Gaza Strip, there is almost never an investigation. A number of human rights organizations have petitioned the High Court of Justice demanding that the IDF be required to initiate a criminal investigation in every instance in which a civilian is killed. The justices have still not offered a ruling on the petition filed four years ago. Of the investigations initiated, 427, some 39 percent, were opened because there was suspicion of violence - not involving gunfire. Some 308 investigations (28 percent), involved cases of suspected violations against Palestinian property in the territories. A total of 117 other investigations, about 11 percent, are described as "other," a category which involves the illegal use of firearms, which did not cause injuries, accepting bribes, unbecoming conduct, and so on. The number of indictments resulting from these investigation is very low. The IDF does not specify how many cases were closed because the investigators concluded that the suspects commited no felony, and how many were closed because those responsible were not found or that there was insufficient evidence against the suspects. Only in 30 cases, involving the killing or wounding of Palestinians, were indictments filed. Of these, only one has been filed since January 2005. In 16 cases the suspects were convicted - the percentage of guilty verdicts in cases where charges were filed for violence being much higher than other cases. Yesh Din described the picture that emerges from the data as "depressing," suggesting a failure to enforce the law on soldiers operating in territories. The human rights group says this is all the more evident when the numbers of Palestinian civilians killed during the intifada is taken into account. The group says that the IDF has an obligation to protect civilians who are not involved in the fighting but that the data shows that the army is evading its responsibility. Related articles: 2 IDF soldiers charged with abusing civilians at checkpoint IDF soldiers say ordered to 'shoot to kill' at Gaza post where Palestinian girl died IDF soldier convicted of manslaughter of British activist Bookmark to del.icio.us Peres apology The President apologized to Kafr Qasem villages for the massacre of 1956. Gaza: The Sequel 'There is no other option' but another round of war. But will it be any different this time?   1.   In the last week 04:38  |  Mark Lincoln 18/12/07   2.   Israel has an Obligation to Return Fire 04:49  |  Straight Talk 18/12/07   3.   yesh din DEMANDS 100% convictions 05:27  |  CK Tan 18/12/07   4.   The incredible bias in the medias work so hard to discredit Israe 05:45  |  Joseph E . 18/12/07   5.   They seek to delegitimise Israel assertion of Independence and So 06:15  |  Joseph E . 18/12/07   6.   crazy 06:18  |  dd 18/12/07   7.   So what!!! 06:38  |  Adrian de Klerk 18/12/07   8.   Yesh din.....eat your hearts out!!!!!!!!!!!! 06:55  |  SLAVO 18/12/07   9.   Palestinian Claims are not Credible 07:02  |  Efox 18/12/07   10.   Yesh Din doesn`t care about the truth, just high conviction rates 07:47  |  Gili 18/12/07   11.   Lawlessness boomerangs 07:52  |  Esther 18/12/07   12.   Olmert does what he wants and the indict Soldiers 08:10  |  Levi 18/12/07   13.   Untermenschen have few rights, as the Jews found in Germany 09:49  |  Clickfool 18/12/07   14.   Not a specific Israeli "phenomena" 09:53  |  Swiss (Dino) 18/12/07   15.   Of course not... IDF is successor of Jewish terrorists groups. 10:25  |  Dutch Dirk 18/12/07   16.   4/ No ISRAEL discredits itself by its own lawlessness 10:42  |  1 state solution 18/12/07   17.   #11 Astute observation, Esther 11:25  |  Ben Alofs 18/12/07   18.   This Is the Conduct of the Occupier 11:34  |  Yaakov Sullivan 18/12/07   19.   For Esther # 11 12:13  |  Clickfool 18/12/07   20.   Even the US convicts soldiers of abuse and murder 12:24  |  1 state solution 18/12/07   21.   Yesh Din = Terrorists rights group 12:47  |  Suzanne 18/12/07   22.   #1 13:45  |  Moshe 18/12/07   23.   #17 dr ben still pontificates even though its total crap 13:47  |  victor hardman 18/12/07   24.   #19 yellow streak read the answer to dr ben. 13:48  |  victor hardman 18/12/07   25.   #20 13:54  |  Moshe 18/12/07   26.   #11 14:14  |  Moshe 18/12/07   27.   #16 14:24  |  Moshe 18/12/07   28.   Israel did shoot POWs #25 14:31  |  Yaakov Sullivan 18/12/07   29.   Opening the way for an invasion of Gaza 14:51  |  Paul Wood 18/12/07   30.   irgun (IDF) is khazar terrorist 15:09  |  get real 18/12/07   31.   To the mollifiers 16:05  |  Goldberg 18/12/07   32.   I enjoy being a blind racist 16:23  |  Efox 18/12/07   33.   #28 TURNCOAT SULLIVAN 17:10  |  * BEN JABO 18/12/07   34.   25/26 "under attack" perpetually? 20:44  |  1 state solution 18/12/07   35.   look out Yaakov !!! * BEN JABO hot for you 21:12  |  saul 18/12/07   36.   What a Load ! 02:46  |  Tod Zuckerman 19/12/07   37.   #35 saul - fall on your sword 02:58  |  * BEN JABO 19/12/07   38.   I enjoy being a blind racist 16:23 | Efox 06:46  |  muslim 19/12/07   39.   re: muslim 06:09  |  Efox 22/12/07

Today Online Two IDF troops lightly wounded; Israel sets terms for truce Responses: 264 Peres apologizes for Kafr Qasem massacre of 1956 Responses: 133 Attempt to exchange messages between Israel and Syria fails Responses: 47 U.S. envoy: Peace education is the only way to end this conflict Responses: 75 Ramon: 70 MKs support settler compensation plan Responses: 97 Rosner's Domain Riedel: "Israel will attack Iran" (WTR) Hijacked by the demanding, spoiled Bar Mitzvah families Romney to Evangelicals, like Messianic Jews to Jews (WTR) Rosner's Guest: deNazify the Palestinian culture More Headlines 06:03 UN: Donors' meet is step towards Palestinian state 04:43 Rice: U.S. open to Iran, Syria talks if they change policy 18:27 President Peres apologizes for Kafr Qasem massacre of 1956 01:18 Report: Sacha Baron Cohen to retire alter egos Borat and Ali G 01:02 Historic New York City matzo factory on sale for $25 million 04:43 Two IDF troops lightly hurt as Israel mulls truce offer 17:35 A changing Reform movement attempts to resurrect Shabbat 12:52 Ramon: 70 MKs support paying settlers to evacuate voluntarily 21:29 Top Hezbollah official blasts Bush, says Lebanon rejects his tutelage 16:19 Rice welcomes Israeli decision to nix building plan in East J'lem Previous Editions Select Day 21 dec 20 dec 19 dec 18 dec 17 dec 16 dec 14 dec 13 dec 12 dec 11 dec 10 dec 09 dec

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