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IAF chief Eliezer Shkedi. (Kobi Gideon/BauBau)
Last update - 08:40 30/12/2007
Pinpointed IAF attacks in Gaza more precise, hurt fewer civilians
By Amos Harel, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: Yuval Diskin 

Among those who attended last week's pilots' graduation at the Israel Air Force base in Hatzerim was Shin Bet security service chief Yuval Diskin. Why would a busy man like Diskin take the trouble of going to a military ceremony at a distant base in the Negev? The answer has to do with the tight cooperation between the Shin Bet and the Israel Defense Forces, particularly the air force, as reflected in fighting in the territories.

The Shin Bet and the IAF (in some cases the IDF Southern Command is also involved) are responsible for the most lethal part of combating terror organizations in the Gaza Strip: the assassinations from the air, for which Israel coined the euphemism "pinpointed thwarting." This past month alone, at least 40 armed terrorists were killed in IDF air attacks.

Lately, the thwartings have indeed become more worthy of the title "pinpointed." In all the attacks of recent weeks, only gunmen were hurt, as confirmed by Palestinians. The rate of civilians hurt in these attacks in 2007 was 2-3 percent. The IDF has come a long way since the dark days of 2002-2003, when half the casualties in air assaults on the Gaza Strip were innocent bystanders.
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The attacks fall into three main categories: targeting specific known terrorists; targeting Qassam rocket-launching cells en-route or in action; and punitive bombardments of Hamas outposts, in response to rocket or mortar fire into Israel. Since Israel began air assaults on the Gaza Strip, in late 2000, the first two types of attacks killed more than 100 Palestinian civilians.

In their quest to hit terrorists, who operate in the midst of civilian populations, the IAF attacked even when the terrorists were in densely populated areas. There were always safety rules, but these were "bent" at times in view of the target's importance. The result was mass killing of civilians.

The best-known case involved the liquidation of a senior Hamas man, Salah Shehadeh. Besides Shehadeh and one of his aides, the one-ton bomb the IAF dropped on the Gaza house he was staying in also killed his wife, daughter and 13 civilians. That affair led to the infamous statement by then-IAF chief (and later IDF chief of staff) Dan Halutz about "a ding to the plane," in reference to the impact of civilian casualties.

The army's public responses in the Shehadeh affair and other incidents combined obtuseness with self-righteousness. Senior officers claimed there is simply no other way. The attacks are necessary, they said, and it's impossible to reduce the number of "noncombatants" who wind up getting hurt.

Turns out it is possible. Reducing the number of civilian casualties in the attacks on Gaza was one of the first tasks Halutz's heir as IAF chief, Eliezer Shkedi, marked out for himself. The data improved commensurately. From a 1:1 ratio between killed terrorists and civilians in 2003 to a 1:28 ratio in late 2005. Several IAF mishaps in 2006 lowered the ratio to 1:10, but the current ratio is at its lowest ever  more than 1:30.

The IAF warns, however, against expecting zero collateral damage. All it would take is for a missile to veer off-course by a few meters because of a technical malfunction and civilians would be killed. And another thing: When tensions escalate, such as under massive Qassam fire from the Gaza Strip, the IDF is more active and also takes more risks, leading to more civilian casualties among the Palestinians.

Related articles:
  • Panel might probe 2002 killing of Hamas commander Shehadeh
  • Editorial: What the fatality statistics tell us
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      1.   Let Palis worry about Palis 05:34  |  RA 30/12/07
      2.   G-d bless IAF and IDF! You guys are the best! 07:50  |  Roni 30/12/07
      3.   no excuse for war crimes 08:07  |  1 state solution 30/12/07
      4.   To # 32 fortuna, I have the answer to your question 08:49  |  dan 30/12/07
      5.   I believe Al Capone achieved the same 09:03  |  Grif 30/12/07
      6.   #3 how would you feel about Palestinians launching QASSAMS? 09:10  |  V 30/12/07
      7.   IDF, IAF, You are the PRIDE of the whole 09:15  |  TOMY 30/12/07
      8.   Provo Utah-- 09:20  |  Gary 30/12/07
      9.   To 1 state solution: you are right, no excuse to war crimes 09:24  |  Dan 30/12/07
      10.   Is this the same IDF??? 09:39  |  Rollin 30/12/07
      11.   A Cause For Celebration? 09:41  |  Paulo 30/12/07
      12.   40 Armed Terrorists Killed 09:42  |  Clickfool 30/12/07
      13.   high priced targets should not be missed at any cost. 10:10  |  don 30/12/07
      14.   Yes, that trend has been obvious over the past months..... 10:14  |  Swiss (Dino) 30/12/07
      15.   this is the upside to gaza`s hamas takeover 10:20  |  matt 30/12/07
      16.   Message # 12 is Fake Clickfool 10:42  |  Clickfool 30/12/07
      17.   Yeah, lets look at international law 10:42  |  1 state solution 30/12/07
      18.   No trial, no evidence, no defence lawyers, no process of law 10:48  |  Clickfool 30/12/07
      19.   13/ Izzy has killed thousands - when will it end? 10:49  |  1 state solution 30/12/07
      20.   IAF has done a remarkable job 10:49  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 30/12/07
      21.   Congratulations are not in order 10:50  |  Natallie Durson 30/12/07
      22.   2/ G-d condones killing? Where is it written? 10:54  |  1 state solution 30/12/07
      23.   TOMY, an IDF fan # 7 11:01  |  Clickfool 30/12/07
      24.   the world secretly admires 11:05  |  rich 30/12/07
      25.   Pinpointed Attacks Are Pills , What`s Needed is a Root Surgery 11:14  |  Joseph E . 30/12/07
      26.   "What is the Jewish response to Jews for Jesus"? 11:14  |  Clickfool 30/12/07
      27.   Clickfol`s Country Murders Innocents 11:23  |  Ruth 30/12/07
      28.   # 25 Joseph E.` s post serves as a reminder to anyone..... 11:25  |  Swiss (Dino) 30/12/07
      29.   #21, Durson 11:30  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 30/12/07
      30.   ra 1 11:42  |  realism 30/12/07
      31.   clickfool"the jews killed jesus" 11:44  |  brighton rock 30/12/07
      32.   clickfool "no trial no evidence only bullets" 11:47  |  brighton rock 30/12/07
      33.   clickfool and the british squaddies in war 11:49  |  brighton rock 30/12/07
      34.   is BBC also the acr for Blind Barbarian Clickfool ? -Hell Burns! 11:53  |  Zeev 30/12/07
      35.   IF CIVILIANS GOT KILLED, IT MEANS THEY WANTED THAT 11:57  |  indrajaya 30/12/07
      36.   CF: no way, neither you nor the BBC can outdo Mel Gibson 12:12  |  avigdor 30/12/07
      37.   For Ruth, who`s a fan of the Taliban # 27 12:22  |  Clickfool 30/12/07
      38.   For "Brighton Rock" # 31 12:25  |  Clickfool 30/12/07
      39.   To All Clickfool Bashers 12:27  |  Rupert 30/12/07
      40.   To Ruth re 27 and Clickfool`s idiocy: Very well put!!! 12:29  |  Lee 30/12/07
      41.   Very Interesting "Clickfool" Posings #27/28 12:35  |  Clickfool 30/12/07
      42.   17 1 state solution,well said! Something must be done about 12:40  |  lakshmi 30/12/07
      43.   Good old "Rupert" of "Wych Cross" # 39 12:52  |  Clickfool 30/12/07
      44.   # 27, RUTH (RE: CLICKFOOL) 13:01  |  indrajaya 30/12/07
      45.   re: Tomy 13:07  |  Paulo 30/12/07
      46.   # 29 Kohn .. Thanks for the chance to expand on this topic 13:10  |  Natallie Durson 30/12/07
      47.   For Clickfool, who`s a fan of Palestinian terrorists (#37) 13:16  |  Lurker 30/12/07
      48.   The morally offensive defending the morally indefensible. 13:20  |  Dutch 30/12/07
      49.   35Indrajaya, Maan News reports:israeli vehicles entered the Gaza 13:20  |  lakshmi 30/12/07
      50.   #18 the yellow streak and the rule of law? 13:21  |  victor hardman 30/12/07
      51.   Perhaps Bin Laden would like to put the IDF out of business? 13:55  |  Dutch 30/12/07
      52.   48. i already work for CIA/Mossad 14:07  |  *BEN LADEN 30/12/07
      53.   Clickfool: British Military & Society Barbarians 14:09  |  Ruth 30/12/07
      54.   For Lurker # 47 14:12  |  Clickfool 30/12/07
      55.   Indrajaya Lecturing from Indonesia: LOL 14:16  |  Craig F 30/12/07
      56.   #33 What about Israel`s Anti-Semitism towards Arabs? 14:21  |  Dutch 30/12/07
      57.   For Ruth again # 53 14:30  |  Clickfool 30/12/07
      58.   Clickfool: British Citizens Voted For War 14:40  |  Ruth 30/12/07
      59.   #42 It would be a blessing for BIn Laden to take out the IDF 14:53  |  Dutch 30/12/07
      60.   # 55, CRAIG F (a.k.a. PETER SM) 15:05  |  indrajaya 30/12/07
      61.   Ruth`s odd recollection of events # 58 15:11  |  Clickfool 30/12/07
      62.   Ruth`s odd version of events again # 58 15:17  |  Clickfool 30/12/07
      63.   # 49, LAKSHMI 15:54  |  indrajaya 30/12/07
      64.   59 Dutch,Clickfool,Natalie D.,Maureen Ann &friends,an 15:55  |  lakshmi 30/12/07
      65.   Paulo #3 16:05  |  Charles Ronen 30/12/07
      66.   Remarkable Shin Bet 16:07  |  Tosefta 30/12/07
      67.   IAF finds new ways... 16:13  |  Walter 30/12/07
      68.   Clickfool Airbrushing British Genocide 16:18  |  Ruth 30/12/07
      69.   #27 Ruth 16:26  |  Chris Linthwaite 30/12/07
      70.   avigdor 36 16:29  |  realism 30/12/07
      71.   #68 Ruth 16:35  |  Chris Linthwaite 30/12/07
      72.   Chris Linthwaire, That`d Be Great. 16:42  |  Ruth 30/12/07
      73.   Rollin#10 16:46  |  Yariv 30/12/07
      74.   Chris Linthwaite`s Blood Libel 16:48  |  Ruth 30/12/07
      75.   68 Linthwaite, is a crock conspiracy theorist...now I know 16:51  |  The Equalizer 30/12/07
      76.   #68 Ruth admits Israel is a "Problem State". 16:59  |  Labhras 30/12/07
      77.   Labhras 17:14  |  Ruth 30/12/07
      78.   #74 Ruth and goldmines 17:17  |  Labhras 30/12/07
      79.   #77 Ruth re Clickfool 17:23  |  Labhras 30/12/07
      80.   Great but Israel needs to do more 17:25  |  Tom Daley 30/12/07
      81.   Labhras 17:27  |  Ruth 30/12/07
      82.   Indonesian Human Rights From Indrajaya the Israel Critic 17:34  |  Craig F 30/12/07
      83.   Labhras`s Cruel "Compassion" 17:36  |  Ruth 30/12/07
      84.   Labhras..78 Come on now,,5 Israelis jumping for glee 17:39  |  The Equalizer 30/12/07
      85.   Hit Them Again, IAF! 17:44  |  Steve 30/12/07
      86.   #30 Lakshmi repeats her fairytale again (re Nick Ferriman) 17:52  |  Tosefta 30/12/07
      87.   Lakshmi, Israel`s mmoral killing of Palestinians 18:13  |  Dutch 30/12/07
      88.   #81 Ruth 18:19  |  Labhras 30/12/07
      89.   #78 - No, Labhras 18:42  |  JES 30/12/07
      90.   #71 - Chris, you know in your heart... 18:48  |  JES 30/12/07
      91.   Response to Clickfool (#54) 18:57  |  Lurker 30/12/07
      92.   For Ruth yet again# 68 19:04  |  Clickfool 30/12/07
      93.   For Ruth and her canards # 77 19:07  |  Clickfool 30/12/07
      94.   For Ruth on 9/11 19:26  |  Clickfool 30/12/07
      95.   #Ruth 81 no match for Clickfool and Labrhas 19:27  |  Leb 30/12/07
      96.   Labhras 19:29  |  rich 30/12/07
      97.   Chris Linthwaite 19:37  |  rich 30/12/07
      98.   Leb 19:38  |  rich 30/12/07
      99.   RETAKE GAZA !! and done with it and expels 19:40  |  Cristo 30/12/07
      100.   #89 JES 19:43  |  Labhras 30/12/07
      101.   91. Lurker i see your problem now 19:47  |  psychologist 30/12/07
      102.   TO RONI NO 2. 19:47  |  DANNY 30/12/07
      103.   98. richy boy 19:48  |  hezbollah 30/12/07
      104.   TO NO 20 CIPORA. MY FRIEND 20:05  |  DANNY. 30/12/07
      105.   #14 swiss 20:06  |  duncan 30/12/07
      106.   #71 chris does not recognise an urban myth 20:11  |  duncan 30/12/07
      107.   TO 29 CIPORA. 20:12  |  DANNY. 30/12/07
      108.   clickfool "i couldnt help to note you failed to answer" 20:13  |  brighton rock 30/12/07
      109.   #96 rich admits Israel,s guilt but points to others 20:14  |  Labhras 30/12/07
      110.   To dan # 32 who wrongly atribbutes me an idea. 20:20  |  Fortuna Benmayor 30/12/07
      111.   clickfool "its very good" 20:21  |  brighton rock 30/12/07
      112.   irish intelligence 20:23  |  papal bull 30/12/07
      113.   ireland has become rich because it is a small nation 20:25  |  papal bull 30/12/07
      114.   #98 rich re Leb 20:27  |  Labhras 30/12/07
      115.   ireland had a small pharma company that has gone bankrupt twice. 20:27  |  papal bull 30/12/07
      116.   #83 Ruth is that an argument 20:30  |  Labhras the Irishman 30/12/07
      117.   israel and ireland 20:31  |  papal bull 30/12/07
      118.   hezbollah 20:32  |  rich 30/12/07
      119.   the pope has told blacks in south africa not to use condoms 20:33  |  papal bull 30/12/07
      120.   For Brighton Rock on Netanyahu # 111 20:35  |  Clickfool 30/12/07
      121.   clickfool and natanyahu 20:46  |  brighton rock 30/12/07
      122.   #10 Rollin 20:46  |  Steven 30/12/07
      123.   Israeli Air Force: Efficient, Deadly, Compassionate 20:46  |  Mark Hamil 30/12/07
      124.   HEY DUTCH 20:47  |  TOBIA 30/12/07
      125.   #120 clickfool re brighton rock and net and yahoo 20:50  |  Labhras 30/12/07
      126.   # 105 duncan 20:51  |  Swiss (Dino) 30/12/07
      127.   CLICKFOOL 20:56  |  TOBIA 30/12/07
      128.   Dutch,greetings&86 Tosefta,Dutch a friend who is very 20:58  |  lakshmi 30/12/07
      129.   Labrhas re Papal Bull 21:03  |  Danite 30/12/07
      130.   #101 psychologist -- I see your problem, too 21:08  |  Lurker 30/12/07
      131.   More for #101 psychologist and his problem 21:09  |  Lurker 30/12/07
      132.   Actually... 21:22  |  Colin Wright 30/12/07
      133.   1 State Solution 21:24  |  TOBIA 30/12/07
      134.   Papal Bull: how many Eurovision song contests has Ireland won? 21:29  |  Alicia 30/12/07
      135.   For Papal Bull # 1 21:36  |  Clickfool 30/12/07
      136.   For Papal Bull # 2 21:42  |  Clickfool 30/12/07
      137.   For Tobia # 121 21:45  |  Clickfool 30/12/07
      138.   "Very good for Israel the world now sees, who the bad guys are" 21:46  |  anti-Clickfool 30/12/07
      139.   #121 swiss 22:01  |  duncan 30/12/07
      140.   #23 Clicky: Israel actually won half of Lebanon in 2006 war 22:05  |  anti-Clickfool 30/12/07
      141.   alicia i have no difficulty in believeing you are 22:08  |  papal bull 30/12/07
      142.   # 129 Danite, for a so called "moderate", you are siding.... 22:19  |  Swiss (Dino) 30/12/07
      143.   clickfool i salute you gutsy mother 22:20  |  papal bull 30/12/07
      144.   #132 colin double standards ? 22:23  |  duncan 30/12/07
      145.   Hezbullies why is your leader hiding underground 22:35  |  Iz Ray Leigh 30/12/07
      146.   We asked for a reference (Lakshmi #128) 22:37  |  Tosefta 30/12/07
      147.   #134 Alicia re pappabull aka toblerone 22:43  |  Labhras 30/12/07
      148.   so swiss dino being a right winger is bad while 22:51  |  toblerone 30/12/07
      149.   re duncan #144 `#132 colin double standards ?` 22:55  |  Colin Wright 30/12/07
      150.   # 25 Joseph E...THERE ARE NO RULES THAT SAYS:YOU WILL FIGHT WITH. 23:12  |  Kathy 30/12/07
      151.   146 Tosefta & Dutch,Tosefta splitting hairs and with a poor 23:12  |  lakshmi 30/12/07
      152.   Dutch,to answer your specific question about the 2 state solution 23:27  |  lakshmi 30/12/07
      153.   # 69 C.Linthwaite..re:Ruth ...And Your Ignorance.. 23:28  |  Kathy 30/12/07
      154.   re: Charles 23:30  |  Paulo 30/12/07
      155.   Labrhas: Ireland is a great country, be proud! 23:31  |  Alicia 30/12/07
      156.   # 143 papal bull..I WAS NOT AWARE OF YOUR SENSE OF HUMOUR! .. 23:35  |  Kathy 30/12/07
      157.   # 21 No, Fatmeh/idiot, whatever is done to make... 23:47  |  Misha 30/12/07
      158.   Stop the fraud (Lakshmi #151; re Dutch) 23:50  |  Tosefta 30/12/07
      159.   lakshmi for someone who claims to have spent 23:56  |  mumbaiwallah 30/12/07
      160.   lakshmi why has the destruction of the babri masjid gone 00:35  |  mumbaiwallah 31/12/07
      161.   lakshmi you rail against the west but 00:38  |  mumbaiwallah 31/12/07
      162.   158 Tosefta,kindly read my post once again,I said that the 01:47  |  lakshmi 31/12/07
      163.   # 150 Kathy " A Sukaria for you" 02:46  |  Joseph E . post 1 31/12/07
      164.   # 150 Kathy 02:46  |  Joseph E . post 2 31/12/07
      165.   Provo 04:26  |  Aaron 31/12/07
      166.   # 163 & #164 Joseph E..THANK YOU FOR WISE AND DETERMINATION&WORTH 04:31  |  Kathy 31/12/07
      167.   Re #70 wasn`t it the Romans? 04:55  |  DJStahl 31/12/07
      168.   # 166 Kathy " You Welcome & Likewise" ---"N.C" 05:00  |  Joseph E . 31/12/07
      169.   For Durson # 49, who doesn`t even read the articles she comments 05:07  |  Fortuna Benmayor 31/12/07
      170.   To Lakshmi (#152) 05:46  |  Morris Valentine 31/12/07
      171.   152 - Lakshimi- Resolution 181 and 194 PLEASE READ 06:22  |  Ariel 31/12/07
      172.   Rollin, listen up! 06:23  |  even BAROSH 31/12/07
      173.   Swiss Dino re papal bull 06:28  |  Danite 31/12/07
      174.   #100 - Labhras the "Truther", LOL 07:37  |  JES 31/12/07
      175.   #17 1 statesolution ,utah 07:54  |  danny 31/12/07
      176.   excuse me for questioning the motives... 09:02  |  eric 31/12/07
      177.   # 120 clickfool 12:39  |  danny 31/12/07
      178.   170Morris Valentine,greetings! 171 Ariel,MV the Security Council 12:57  |  lakshmi 31/12/07
      179.   Morris Valentine & Ariel,. . . contd... both beneficiaries 13:06  |  lakshmi 31/12/07
      180.   # 45 Irrevelant Paulo,Your oppinion 17:28  |  TOMY 31/12/07
      181.   Cipora # 20 IAF hero`s 22:52  |  American in NY 01/01/08
      182.   #3: Pals DO attack Israeli discos, pizza parlors 23:57  |  Izik 02/01/08
      183.   To all folks trying to knock this report... 06:56  |  ballistic 14/01/08
      184.   Questionable statistics 14:15  |  Shlomo 14/01/08
      185.   RE Paulo and portuguese antisemites 16:28  |  paulo 2005 14/01/08
      186.   paulo and portuguese antisemitism 16:33  |  paulo 2005 14/01/08
      187.   Clickfool`s classy mama 15:55  |  Nik Miller 16/01/08
      188.   Pinpoint! 18:52  |  Paul 18/05/08
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