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Defense Minister Ehud Barak (Daniel Bar-On / Jini)
Last update - 04:56 04/03/2008
Barak seeks legal okay to move Gazan civilians from homes
By Barak Ravid ,Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: civilians, international law 

Legal experts in the government say it is difficult to decide whether Israel can move Palestinian civilians from areas in the northern Gaza Strip where rockets are fired against Israel. They say international law is based on precedents, and in Israel's case the matter is in many ways unprecedented.

Defense Minister Ehud Barak had requested legal advice from Attorney General Menachem Mazuz and the military advocate general on the possibility of moving Palestinian civilians from the rocket-launching areas.

The idea would be to give the Israel Defense Forces greater room to maneuver and target rocket crews without endangering civilians.
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At the meeting were Justice Minister Daniel Friedmann, Deputy Defense Minister Matan Vilnai, Deputy Attorney General Shai Nitzan, Brigadier General Avichai Mandelblit - in his role as military advocate general - and legal experts from the army and Foreign Ministry.

During the meeting, Barak presented a series of possible operations the IDF could undertake in the Gaza Strip on which he asked for a legal opinion.

Barak raised options including cutting all fuel supplies to Gaza, firing single artillery shells against sources of rocket fire, clearing areas in the Strip from which Qassam rockets are launched, evacuating civilians from these areas, and shelling or bombing areas after warning the civilians to leave.

"We have a responsibility to the residents of Sderot and we cannot allow this [to continue] without providing an answer," Barak said at the meeting. "We must find ways to respond to the firing against Israel. I understand the legal limitation but we need to find the ways to make it possible to act."

Deputy Attorney General Shai Nitzan said the main principles on whose basis Israel's actions would be measured are proportionality and precision.

He said it is impossible to undertake an operation in which Israel will inform the Gaza population that every area from which rockets are fired will be hit by artillery.

"This is not proportional," Nitzan said. "It is possible to fire at the sources of fire, but specific areas need to be defined and efforts must be made to distinguish between fighters and civilians."

Deputy Defense Minister Matan Vilnai suggested declaring areas in the Gaza Strip "combat zones," and inquired whether it is possible to warn the residents there that they are in danger and recommend that they leave.

Vilnai also said this could be done through flyers or announcements in the media.

The legal experts were requested to prepare an opinion on a "gradual evacuation of the population" in Gaza from areas of fighting.

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      1.   LEB. Army moved no one before shelling Pal.residences."Legal" ?? 05:19  |  PETER SM 04/03/08
      2.   Surely this is lawful? Afterall, its designed to protect 05:19  |  Brad 04/03/08
      3.   like giving a glass of water 06:26  |  NO-BODY 04/03/08
      4.   Another illegal land grab... 07:01  |  betz55 04/03/08
      5.   Law?! 07:03  |  Niva dos santos 04/03/08
      6.   Unprecedented, Indeed 07:09  |  Reinhart 04/03/08
      7.   On the matter of "disproportional response" 07:10  |  Gili 04/03/08
      8.   Duh ! 07:39  |  Natallie Durson 04/03/08
      9.   You have to give it to Palestinian terrorists: they are pioneers 07:48  |  Dan 04/03/08
      10.   Fallujah as Precedent 07:48  |  Mark of Lewiston 04/03/08
      11.   Any legal discussions on the Palestinian side? Let me guess 07:51  |  Dan 04/03/08
      12.   Need precedent? Look no further than Lebanon solution to rockets 08:25  |  Dr. L. Brnd 04/03/08
      13.   Egypt and the Arab refugees. 08:29  |  Jean Van Daem 04/03/08
      14.   International and Gaza case. 08:55  |  Vital 04/03/08
      15.   That`s the way I like it 08:57  |  Vitaly 04/03/08
      16.   the gaza strip is tiny 08:59  |  Sarah 04/03/08
      17.   Think twice, Ehud "The Liposome" Barak. The food at Den Haag`s 09:10  |  Andreas 04/03/08
      18.   There IS a precedent. 09:18  |  Jeff 04/03/08
      19.   DR L BRND.Arab killings never an issue.Israeli retaliation is. 09:36  |  PETER SM 04/03/08
      20.   Proportionality equals surrender and death 09:37  |  Born In The USA 04/03/08
      21.   This is Insane 09:42  |  Ron 04/03/08
      22.   Israel wants legal clearance for ethnic cleansing 09:46  |  Clickfool 04/03/08
      23.   BARAK IS SO STUPID 09:55  |  Mike 04/03/08
      24.   Hypocrites: what did Israel do to the Palestinians in 1948 then? 10:17  |  Chanalau, Tova 04/03/08
      25.   CFOOL If it`s an "excuse" why give it to them? What`s Pal excuse 10:25  |  PETER SM 04/03/08
      26.   IN OTHER WORDS, WAR CRIMINAL BARAK WANTS OK FOR ETHNIC CLEANSING 10:28  |  TripleJump 04/03/08
      27.   NEWSFLASH: Dr L.Brnd is joining the IDF!! # 1 10:35  |  Clickfool 04/03/08
      28.   the government makes me sick 10:42  |  vor 04/03/08
      29.   ANDREAS Re liposome very very appropriate !.! Congratulations !! 10:48  |  PETER SM 04/03/08
      30.   International law 10:53  |  A. J. Myers 04/03/08
      31.   These criminals must be tried for war crimes & genocide,it is 10:59  |  lakshmi 04/03/08
      32.   Between Prince Barak and King Sharon: Getting rid of Grandma 11:01  |  Catholic Israeli 04/03/08
      33.   Between Prince Barak and King Sharon: Getting rid of Grandma 11:01  |  Catholic Israeli 04/03/08
      34.   Lebanon was allowed to fight firing Pals, and so is Israel! 11:05  |  Anti-Psycho 04/03/08
      35.   No legal precedent 11:05  |  Sabra 04/03/08
      36.   International law - 2 11:07  |  A. J. Myers 04/03/08
      37.   Clickfool throws too many stones 11:08  |  Sabra 04/03/08
      38.   THIS IS A CALL FOR ETHNIC CLEANSING 11:23  |  TripleJump 04/03/08
      39.   He wants to evacuate over 1 MILLION palesinians? 11:24  |  Kris 04/03/08
      40.   to Catholic Israeli 11:31  |  Said 04/03/08
      41.   For Sabra # 34 11:51  |  Clickfool 04/03/08
      42.   #40 | @Said: "racist remark"? Which race, kid??? 11:53  |  Catholic Israeli 04/03/08
      43.   #40 | @Said: "racist remark"? Which race, kid??? 11:53  |  Catholic Israeli 04/03/08
      44.   Nonsense 11:54  |  Colin Wright 04/03/08
      45.   "Said" in post 40: A racist! 11:57  |  Anette 04/03/08
      46.   TRIPLE JUMP,CHANALAU SO STOP YOUR GENOCIDAL MISSILES 11:59  |  PETER SM 04/03/08
      47.   Evacuating "citizens" of gaza 12:09  |  Bubbe 04/03/08
      48.   NEWSFLAH Admiral Lord C.FOOL of Malvinas to join Hamas. 12:16  |  PETER SM 04/03/08
      49.   Said in London, huuuh! 12:17  |  Dutchy 04/03/08
      50.   Said in London 12:41  |  ChanahS 04/03/08
      51.   Clickfool 12:42  |  David Nigel Braham 04/03/08
      52.   Triple idiot 38 12:42  |  ChanahS 04/03/08
      53.   Triple Hypocrite 12:45  |  ChanahS 04/03/08
      54.   #32 `Catholic` Israeli 12:50  |  Boycott 04/03/08
      55.   to post no 40: So pseudo-religious terrorism is a race? 12:51  |  microphone 04/03/08
      56.   #49 Dutchy 12:59  |  Boycott 04/03/08
      57.   @Boycott in post 55 13:08  |  Protected Civilian 04/03/08
      58.   Bad choice, Boy Cott! 13:10  |  Catholic Israeli 04/03/08
      59.   #54 Boycott 13:15  |  Aunt Wilma 04/03/08
      60.   Barak! Get it over with already! 13:17  |  DoctorBrain 04/03/08
      61.   Did the US, UK and Nazis remove the civilians of 14:36  |  Murray of Montreal 04/03/08
      62.   Legal okay to Gazans 21:05  |  Marc 05/03/08
      63.   Legal okay to Gazans 21:05  |  Marc 05/03/08
      64.   Legal okay to Gazans 21:05  |  Marc 05/03/08
      65.   Legal okay to Gazans 21:06  |  Marc 05/03/08
      66.   Legal okay to Gazans 21:07  |  Marc 05/03/08
      67.   Legal okay to Gazans 21:07  |  Marc 05/03/08
      68.   Anti-Israel bashers will turn reality 180º around anyway. 23:46  |  Fortuna Benmayor 05/03/08
      69.   Legal okay to Gazans 23:52  |  Marc 05/03/08
      70.   #40 Said of Utter Nonsense 01:05  |  Polybios 06/03/08
      71.   Damned if you do, damned if you don`t 02:44  |  Slibovitz 06/03/08
      72.   ghaza 19:33  |  sara 06/03/08
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