New groups join PR war in support of IDF
Bein Hakavanot founder: Group seeks to fight issues such as left-wing organizations' pressure on army and legal advice influencing orders in the field
By Anshel PfefferActivists set up a new organization to counter human rights groups criticizing the Israel Defense Forces and to support soldiers' civil rights. The group seeks to fight the "unholy trinity of left-wing organizations' pressure on the army, the military prosecution going where it shouldn't, and legal advice influencing orders in the field," said founder and spokesman Aryeh Arbus.
Although the new group, Bein Hakavanot (In the Sights ), doesn't have a Web site, it has already compiled a report, on an incident in March when Kfir Brigade soldiers went jogging in Hebron and strayed into the city's Palestinian area, where they were attacked by a crowd.
The report concludes that the soldiers' fear of legal repercussions was the main reason they did not open fire, even though their lives were at risk.
The quality of analysis in the paper testifies to considerable professional knowledge, while the quality of the printing testifies to funding.
"A group of officers on active duty and in the reserves is advising us," says Arbus, a 22-year-old law student at Ono Academic College in Kiryat Ono. "Naturally, they don't want to be identified by name at the moment."
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IDF soldiers in the Second Lebanon War. |
| Photo by: Nir Kafri |
Arbus himself is no stranger to publicity; he was one of the soldiers who caused a storm last year by holding up protest signs at his battalion's swearing-in ceremony. The signs declared that the battalion would not evacuate settlers to Homesh, a West Bank settlement demolished during the 2005 disengagement.
Arbus was sent to military prison, removed from active combat duty, and within a few months discharged. He has no regrets about his protest but prefers not to talk about it: Conscientious objection is a sensitive issue and he wants to address broader audiences.
Arbus is working on Bein Hakavanot's next report analyzing an incident in which two Givati Brigade soldiers were accused of using Palestinian children to check bags for explosives. The report aims to prove the soldiers acted properly.
Arbus spends much of his time shuttling between IDF units in the West Bank and handing out the group's report and leaflets calling on soldiers to contact Bein Hakavanot if they have been humiliated by Palestinians, interrogated by the military police, "harassed" by human rights activists or simply felt their commanders weren't showing enough determination in fighting terrorism.
He also films activists from Machsom Watch, a women's group monitoring the treatment of Palestinians at checkpoints; he says he wants to prove they harm soldiers. Arbus says he receives much support from the IDF rank and file for his group's message.
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evoking general yoffeh's famous adage:"i see the arab problem through my gunsight".it does,in fairness,also mean intentions.then "bein"-between-is meaningless.
"... two Givati Brigade soldiers were accused of using Palestinian children to check bags for explosives. The report aims to prove the soldiers acted properly." If they can do that, I shall be impressed. Or do they mean ",,, aim to prove that Bein Hakavanot approves of their actions". That sounds like a considerably easier task.
It,s too late folks---the horse bolted.
(1) Spin the 2006 war into anIDF victory. (2) Spin away the 1400 Palestinian civilians killed in the Gaza op. (3) Spin the Turkish flotilla into a pirtate ship full of bloody terrorists who simply forgot to bring their guns. (4) Drop the "most moral army in the world" campaign which has turned into the punch line for a thousand jokes.
Setllers seem to be panicking as peace seems to be in reach.
Do these people want the IDF to shoot on people and give up any hint of morality?
"the soldiers' fear of legal repercussions was the main reason why they did not open fire". Excellent! This shows why legal repercussions are so important: Without it, soldiers have no incentive to practice restraint, and will claim their lives were at risk all the time. And by the way: Were the soldiers jogging or practicing their dance moves?
Actually it is the only army in the world using lethal weapons against stone throwing children. Without talking about the Flotilla, Gaza War, Rachel Corrie, etc etc...
if this group gets its own way. Do they realise that they are the ones responsible for the delegitimisation of Israel in the foreign media, i.e. the people who call for the IDF to behave without regard for the law; who lament the fact that Palestinians weren't murdered in March when armed soldiers apparently illegally entered H1?
"Kfir Brigade soldiers went jogging in Hebron and strayed into the city's Palestinian area, where they were attacked by a crowd. The report concludes that the soldiers' fear of legal repercussions was the main reason they did not open fire, even though their lives were at risk." So occupying forces went where they weren't supposed to and the locals didn't receive them with hugs and kisses. 'Their lives were at risk'. Really? I'm assuming none of them were killed or seriously injured otherwise presumably the article would have mentioned it, since it would be a rather important point. So what does Arbus want? Does he want the IDF to feel free to mow down civilians even when it's their mistake that has caused the confrontation?
Sometime you need to be a lawyer when in teh arming trying to do your best to obey all teh rules of engagement. No soldiers wants to run afoul of the Military uniform code of justice ya just cant get a fair shake
Presumably the soldiers went into the arab section inadvertantly. If the confrontation goes beyond verbal rebuke and recrimination and rises to physical violence, the soldiers are entitled to defend themselves utlizing means commensurate with the number and weaponry of their opponents.
One price, to be paid, is the active existence of such people, who de-legitimize the basic human rights of others
It sounds like the man's looking for smoke where there is no fire. It's particularly disturbing that he's a convicted felon under military law and was jailed for breaches of military discipline. The way he's against the military police as well is a bad sign. All in all, it sounds like this group will be supporting people who have breached or are likely to breach military discipline - as he himself has done. Sour grapes on his part - perhaps?
Wow. With a new anti-left group cropping up every week, the left in Israel must be really strong to have put so much fear into the right. Nice going. Keep it up, lefties - apparently we're winning and peace and a two-state solution is right around the corner.
Accept sensible borders through the current process; follow orders in terms of evacuating people from settlements which clearly under any agreement won't survive; and don't provocatively go jogging in uniform with weapons in what should be Palestine. Follow those principles and all should be fine. Don't and the IDF will continue to earn the contempt of most of the world, and it will have trouble with its Palestinian or Lebanese neighbours.
trying to justify the wrong-doings of the IDF.
Sometimes it is your friend who tells you to shape up and change your ways and those who really don't care about you who enable the behavior that will lead you to ruin
There is always someone who will try and defend the indefensible.
ya they are indefensible israel is the indefensible ones. They are one of the smallest countries and they want to be at war with all those arab countries and 1/3 of the world. It really soothes them. Use some logic instead of a senseless liberal mind. People think peace there is such a complicated thing that can never be reached when in reality it isnt. if they stop bombing israel and just accept them as a country. Then then there will be peace. Simple as that, it has always been
ya they are indefensible israel is the indefensible ones. They are one of the smallest countries and they want to be at war with all those arab countries and 1/3 of the world. It really soothes them. Use some logic instead of a senseless liberal mind. People think peace there is such a complicated thing that can never be reached when in reality it isnt. if they stop bombing israel and just accept them as a country. Then then there will be peace. Simple as that, it has always been
Lol, Israel has bombed Gaza not the opposite. Palestinian need to be accepted too !!
at West Bank check points.
Stop land annexation and settlement building along with sabre rattling against Iran Syria and Lebanon. Simple as that. for such a "small" country with the biggest army! PEACE EVER?
no arab country is bombing israel