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Last update - 21:47 26/02/2008 Military Advocate General: No one culpable for 2006 Beit Hanun shelling By Yuval Azoulay, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: Israel Defense Forces  Military Advocate General Brigadier General Avihai Mandelblit ruled Monday that there is no justification to investigate the November 2006 incident in which errant Israel Defense Forces shells killed 21 Palestinians in the northern Gaza town of Beit Hanun. Immediately following the event, the IDF explained that an artillery battery containing 12 shells, aimed at a site from where Qassam rockets had been fired, had accidentally hit civilian homes some 500 meters from the intended target. The IDF later maintained that the decision to fire the artillery was based on founded and reliable intelligence indicating that additional rockets were going to be fired from the site. An IDF query revealed that the civilian deaths stemmed from a rare malfunction in the control equipment which caused errors in the data used to aim the artillery fire. Advertisement Following the incident, then-chief of staff Dan Halutz appointed a committee, led by former Deputy Head of the Ground Forces Command, Major General Meir Califfee, to investigate the circumstances of the deaths. Following an extensive and thorough investigation, Mandelblit decided that the facts regarding the incident, presented by the committee, were detailed and clear, and that consequently there was no need to launch a Military Police investigation into the matter. It was also decided that no legal action was to be taken against any military official in regard to this incident. The Military Advocate General (MAG) ruled that the Palestinian deaths did not result from negligence, and therefore there was no justification to take disciplinary measures against them. Related articles: Nobel laureate Desmond Tutu to head UN mission to Beit Hanun ANALYSIS / Israel helps provide legend for Palestinian struggle Editorial: Listen to Maj. Gen. Stern Bookmark to del.icio.us   Deadly shelling B'Tselem slams IDF decision not to indict troops over errant strike that left 21 civilians dead. Reaching boiling point Gaza residents are told to boil drinking water as purifying chlorine runs out.   1.   This Is What Is Called "State Terrorism" 21:09  |  Yaakov Sullivan 26/02/08   2.   israel probing israel NEVER GUILTY 21:36  |  memories 26/02/08   3.   Of course not - this is Israel justice 21:47  |  Chanalau, Tova 26/02/08   4.   no justification 21:48  |  hollingsworth 26/02/08   5.   Whitewash 23:40  |  Maki 26/02/08   6.   Yeah, and the whole Haaretz team storms the next bar 23:56  |  Andreas 26/02/08   7.   Opaque justice 00:03  |  Truth 27/02/08   8.   A blow to the rule of law the Zionists are aspiring for!! 02:52  |  Moise 27/02/08   9.   This is what is called Justice in a crystal clear and lucid form 06:43  |  Yacouv Sari-Levi 27/02/08   10.   There will be a day of reckoning in court 13:20  |  Nick Ferriman 27/02/08   11.   Make sure you`re not holding a cup of coffee.. 17:21  |  hollingsworth 27/02/08

Today Online IDF kills six militants during operations in W. Bank and Gaza Responses: 15 Editorial: A massive invasion of Gaza is not unavoidable Responses: 1 Reuven Pedatzur: Iran's great nuclear victory Send response Pro-Israel evangelical leader Hagee endorses McCain Responses: 11 Gov't: We didn't know Shabbat bus services would be canceled Send response Rosner's Domain Can Obama restore the Black-Jewish alliance? Why is Farrakhan the litmus test for black politicians? (WTR) Would Obama be supportive of an Israel governed by Likud? Poll: Is it time for Israel to end the blockade in Gaza? Iran Could Have Enough Uranium for a Bomb by Year's End (WTR) More Headlines 09:34 IDF kills six militants during operations in W. Bank and Gaza 09:34 PM: We'll fight Gaza militants until security returns to south 10:05 U.S. pro-Israel evangelical leader Hagee endorses McCain 06:45 Hamas response / Calculated escalation 10:06 Gov't: We didn't know Shabbat bus services would be canceled 09:59 Ban backs Wiesenthal Center's call for UN session on terror 08:22 U.S. Haredim investing heavily in Tel Aviv real estate 10:08 Shas demands it be given Knesset Finance C'tee chairmanship 09:07 Find yourself and your friends on a WeFi WiFi map 09:23 U.S. Jews' opposition holds up JA deal with Christian group 05:14 Decorated IDF officer accused of killing Palestinian in 'vendetta' Previous Editions Select Day 27 feb 26 feb 25 feb 24 feb 22 feb 21 feb 20 feb 19 feb 18 feb 17 feb 15 feb 14 feb

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