True colours
True colours
Only when it is Israeli deaths do the IDF investigate themselves
Summary
The killing of unarmed Israeli hostages is a very revealing event - in the proof of the indiscriminate engagement by the IDF but also the exact documented pattern of previous assaults.
In this article are referenced precedents and IDF statements which shockingly almost duplicate what we see in 2023.
Contents
Israeli Prime Minister’s Spokesperson speaks in Australia
This week in Australia on 13 December the local fundraising body for the Zionist Federation of Australia (via Keren Hayesod) the United Israel Appeal (UIA) hosted a live webinar Chief Israeli Spokesperson for the Government Eylon Levy who has been working almost 24/7 in PR across the world messaging for the Israeli Prime Minister’s office.
The event was billed as learning how to combat perceived media bias and speak “truth” when representing Israel’s policies and approach in Australia.
Two days after Eylon spoke at the event the Israeli Army shot dead 3 men - who were bare chested, shouting in Hebrew and holding a white flag.
Clearly not the line Eylon says “taking unprecedented efforts to keep civilians safe” with respect to individuals the ground combat theatre, never mind in the bombardment.
Those men were Israeli hostages.
Details are important:1
They were not suddenly pushed out of a building by Hamas captors in front of the troops
They had in fact been hiding there for many days, and had written SOS messages in Hebrew on white flags put on the roof
They walked towards the soldiers with a white flag
Two were killed initially, one escaped wounded, and on coming out of the building - was immediately shot by the IDF
And the reaction from the IDF - “our rules of engagement have been updated”…
True Colours
I was and remain absolutely appalled and disgusted of the events of October 7th - every new revelation worse than the last including sexual violence.
I had previously written that it takes a particular kind of evil to look someone in the eye and murder them in cold blood.
I understand the difficulty relating the butcher of 20,000 Palestinian civilians with this - since the means of war are pushing a button from range albeit artillery bombardment, tanks, aircraft or drones. You don’t look people in the eye.
Palestinians have claimed disproportionate brutality against civilians by the IDF for years.
Since the crisis began 248 Palestinians have been killed by the IDF (and a smaller number by Israeli settlers) in the West Bank including many children shot dead for throwing stones.
The murder of the Israeli hostages in Gaza indicates the IDFs method of approach on the ground in hand-to-hand engagements in Gaza - said time and time again by Palestinians.
Difficult to prove since the IDF will not let foreign press near Gaza unescorted.
During the crisis - there were reported atrocities of the IDF on Palestinian civilians on the ground in Gaza with requests to investigate. The IDF commanders responded “we do not investigate our brave soldiers fighting a just war”.
It has taken this to prove the IDFs approach - indiscriminate shooting of ISRAELI civilians - whether or not they are clearly unarmed, no explosives and holding the white flag of peace and surrender.
Quite rightly hostage families are horrified and outraged at protests in Tel Aviv.
And the world calling for a ceasefire should increase the urgency.
Every day the injustice of the Israeli State and IDF approach is becoming more and more visible, transparent and indisputable.
A day after the Israeli hostages were killed, two women were shot by an Israeli sniper trying to seek shelter at a Catholic Church in Gaza2.
A Pattern of Behaviour - 2008 Operation Cast Lead
The historical precedence is shocking. During 2008 Operation Cast Lead on Gaza, Palestinian civilians were shot at close range, covered in detail in an Amnesty International Report on the conflict3.
Specifically:
On 13 January 2009 a 47-year-old woman, Rawhiya al-Najjar, was shot in the head as she walked ahead of a group of women carrying a white flag near her home in the village of Khuza’a, near Khan Yunis, in the south of Gaza. Her 14-year-old daughter Heba, who was next to her when she was shot, told Amnesty International
The report goes on to talk about everything we are seeing today - indiscriminate attacks, use of white phosphorus, airstrikes targeting people, ‘civilian shields’, ineffective warnings and well worth reading as we see the horror repeat showing absolute precedence.
Furthermore - an article written by Tel Aviv law school Professor Asa Kasher (author of various IDF ethics publications) in the Jerusalem Post 2010 argued in defence of the IDF4:
As specified in a document called “The Spirit of the IDF,” the values of the Israel Defense Forces, much like the values of the American and British forces, are impeccable. For example, there is the basic value of protecting the human dignity of every human being, even the most vile terrorist. How do we protect the human dignity of a terrorist? By considering whether to kill him or capture him or leave him alone.
An additional, uniquely Israeli value is that of the sanctity of human life, both of our troops, our citizens, and other human beings. It appears in an explicit form in no other military code of ethics.
This report could be written word for word post the current crisis…
More Recent Defence of the IDF
In November 2022 the FBI asked to investigate the killing of a Palestinian-American Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Aqleh by the IDF, and Israel refused. As the current ultra-right wing Government were sworn in, the outgoing Prime Minister Yair Lapis said5:
“The IDF is a moral and ethical army. IDF soldiers and their commanders defend the State of Israel. The IDF thoroughly investigates any irregular event and is committed to the values and laws of democracy,"
This is the same current ultra-nationalist Coalition Government that one month after this in December 2022 actually proposed legislation to grant immunity to the IDF and the Israeli Police for their actions during operations6.
The Minister for Heritage in the Coalition Government Amihai Ben-Eliyahu of the Otzma Yehudit Party on November 5th said that “dropping a nuclear bomb on Gaza was an option to solve the crisis”7.
How much more?
I personally don’t know what is more shocking.
The gaslighting and denial in the face of overwhelming evidence (the Amnesty Report from 2008 is just one of many) or the fact we are seeing EXACTLY the same modus operandi repeated today in 2023….
and the fact NOTHING had happened prior to October 7th to address Israel’s repeated behaviour….
How much more will it take to embargo weapons and sanction Israel as it seems the only way to stop them.
Related Articles
United Israel Appeal hosting a visiting Israeli Major (7 Dec) and Israeli Government Spokesman (13 Dec):
Where next after the non-binding UN GA Ceasefire Resolution of 12 Dec?
What sanctions should be imposed on Israel post a ceasefire?
iTV24 Dec 18 2023 - “'Help' and SOS' signs were found during investigation into the IDF's accidental shooting of 3 Israeli hostages“ - https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel-at-war/1702842550-help-and-sos-signs-were-found-during-investigation-into-the-idf-s-accidental-shooting-of-3-israeli-hostages
The Washington Post 16 Dec 2023 - “IDF kills two women taking shelter at Gaza church, Catholic authorities say“ - https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/12/16/women-killed-at-holy-family-parish-gaza-israel/
Amnesty International Report July 2 2009 - “Operation Cast Lead: 22 days of death and destruction” - https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/MDE15/015/2009/en/ (this was a reference from Norman Finkelstein’s 2015 book “Method & Madness - The Hidden story of Israel’s Assault on Gaza” Chapter 3)
Jerusalem Post Feb 7 2010 - “Analysis: A moral evaluation of the Gaza War“ - https://www.jpost.com/Israel/Analysis-A-moral-evaluation-of-the-Gaza-War (this was a reference from Norman Finkelstein’s 2015 book “Method & Madness - The Hidden story of Israel’s Assault on Gaza” Chapter 3)
Israel National News Nov 15 2022 - “Lapid: We won't abandon our soldiers to FBI investigation“ - https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/362841
Haaretz December 202 2022 - “Israel’s Far-right Demands ‘Immunity for Soldiers,’ Risking Action From Hague Criminal Court“ - https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2022-12-20/ty-article/.premium/ben-gvirs-immunity-plan-may-expose-soldiers-to-intl-court-defense-officials-warn/00000185-2c4a-d15f-adf7-7e4f59760000
The Times of Israel 5 November 2023 - “Far-right minister: Nuking Gaza is an option, population should ‘go to Ireland or deserts’“ - https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/far-right-minister-nuking-gaza-is-an-option-population-should-go-to-ireland-or-deserts/