"No había en Gaza innocent" - 26 soldiers by explaining participaron en la guerra a una las NGOs Israeli atrocities during 22 days of contienda
Public here the full report in El Pais, because I think it is enlightening.
For lack of time, I was unable to do the translation. The underlines are mine.
Public here the full report in El Pais, because I think it is enlightening.
For lack of time, I was unable to do the translation. The underlines are mine.
Everything was designed to undertake a war without casualties "in the words of Sfard. And tells Yehuda Shaul, a director of Breaking the Silence, " the best way to defend is triggered massive fire. So the enemy sticks his head. It bombed residential neighborhoods and knowing that they would kill civilians. After throwing leaflets over a neighborhood, it was decided that could kill whoever . " 1,400 Palestinians killed in 22 days of fighting, a large majority of them civilians . Palestinian militias killed three innocent Israelis with Kassam rockets. Of the nine soldiers killed, four were by friendly fire. Some 50,000 houses, 200 schools, nearly a thousand factories were damaged or in ruins, according to United Nations. The struggle between the military and militia was the exception in a campaign in which soldiers fired at water tanks out of boredom, in which phosphorus bombs were dropped on civilian areas, where many soldiers took to looting, and in which guns were fired to rouse a company.
" The rules of engagement did not distinguish between combatants and civilians did not take into consideration that the fighting took place in an area where it was known the presence of children, women and elderly, were used weapons with precision radio inappropriate for areas full of civilians, the widespread devastation, the systematic destruction, its incredible magnitude, destruction houses, apartments, public buildings and properties, in many cases without an apparent need to respond to military, "says Sfard." Shoot anyone who is not supposed to be in a place "was a rule designed to prevent low own . At any price. No precise orders were given, but all agree that the soldiers had to do anything to avoid falling wounded. A military admits that was used in profusion so-called "wet entrance." That is, the search of a house clean shot. Sometimes launching anti-tank missiles. Then he would check what was inside.
destruction, deliberate as The testimony was carefully planned. Before the war, during training, "we realized that this time it was not a campaign but a war in which you take off the gloves ... The considerations that were used to hearing about the rules of engagement , and efforts to avoid harming innocent be heard this time. On the contrary ... A commander told us not to have second thoughts about any threat, real or imagined, that we feel ... The idea was to open fire and not try to consider the implications. Before any obstacle, any problem, open fire and no questions asked. If a car on the road flattens out, if a building is bombed. This is the spirit that aired during training, "says Amir.
The religious component also played a role." leaflets were distributed with the seal of the Army and Chief Rabbinate material containing explicit policy: the Palestinians were described as the Philistines, new on this earth. As aliens in this land that we must return. Then Rabbi Chen talked about the sanctity of the people of Israel and that we were fighting a war between light and darkness filled with apocalyptic and eschatological connotations. The language was very messianic. The war between light and darkness was the preparation for redemption. But more disturbing than the religious issue was the demonization of the other, the children of darkness, while we were the children of light. This is very problematic because it would be expected to make a distinction with civil "tells military.
An activist of the Breaking the Silence Israeli NGO asks Amir, who served in Gaza and the West Bank several times as Reservist: "This was new to you?" Yes. Without any shadow of doubt ... I never received instructions or permission to behave like this ... Somehow, the Army always suggesting ways to try to prevent injuries. On this occasion, the feeling was reversed. As if to hurt civilians play a role in the considerations ... If we ever talked about was innocent and told us that there would be innocent. All there were the enemy. It's a phrase we hear the commander of the brigade ... There were rules for combat. The rule was shooting. "
tells a soldier who observed a man with a torch and a white shirt approached. He asked his commander for permission several times deterrent shots (a few meters away for the Palestinian to stop) after reports that the man was not armed. The officer was not granted it . When he was very close, how much the officer: "Suddenly an explosion of fire coming up and blew us all. The man began to scream. Do not forget while I live. Everybody was shooting and the man screamed. The commander came downstairs and said, 'This is the beginning of the night. " They asked the commander because he had not authorized the fire of deterrence, and said, 'It's night and it was a terrorist. " When told that the man had only a torch, he replied: 'No matter, it was night' ... The next day we sent a dog to detect explosives had. I had nothing. Only your torch.
As President Shimon Peres and several government members repeated ad nauseam that Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups used human shields in their operations and that his accusations were propaganda, it is clear, according to these witnesses, the Israeli army if used. "Johnnies." So the military called on the Palestinians who were forced, at gunpoint and handcuffed, to enter the houses suspected of harboring militants. On occasion, one must enter more than once to try to persuade the militia gunmen to surrender. What if they did not surrender, the house was knocked down on them? "Yes," answered a sergeant in the Golani Brigade. Sometimes forcing the Palestinians to drill holes in walls with jackhammers to avoid any risk that soldiers will encounter a booby trap.
"did not need much fire. I have a feeling that the Army sought an opportunity to perform a spectacular show of force.'s The only explanation for the use of mortars in an urban area," explains sergeant in an infantry brigade which was sent to Netzarim, south of Gaza City. " The war aims were vague. But we said we had to raze most of the area possible. This is a euphemism for systematic destruction." The officer explained that the houses were knocked down for two reasons. An operational: the suspicion that in a house weapons were stored or if it were based tunnels, or if there were signs that had been excavated. The second reason called it "The day after, keeping in mind that the operation was of limited duration. " The idea was to make a sterile area behind us when we left. And the best way to do that was to sweep the area. It would have good firepower, visibility open. We could see everything. That meant the demolition for "Day After". In practice, this was down houses that were not suspected. I can even say that in a conversation with my commander, he said, half smiling, kind of sad that this could be added to its list of war crimes. "
not spared methods and resources." all means of destruction were used, at least I know. The houses were demolished by bulldozers D-9 who worked continuously, but the artillery, helicopters, tanks and aircraft were also used. And 81-mm mortars, I think. And, of course, special units of engineers who were blasting a home. The explosions were constant. Did not always know why, but flew home every day. " Around where the company installed this sergeant was not fighting." No, no. Overall we saw no one alive, except the soldiers. "He also has experience in the Gaza Strip, the sergeant agrees with the other soldiers:" The destruction was on a different scale. I had never known such firepower.
What worries you about this operation? And another soldier responds: "First, so much destruction, all that fire on innocents. The shock of realizing who I've been in this. As my colleagues behave! It's amazing, inconceivable ... All this hate, enjoy killing. (They said): 'I have killed a terrorist uuuau. " 'He blew his head. "Another partner is shown relieved have been assigned to another drive with more veteran soldiers. "They were not trigger-happy," he says.
The army expressed regret that another NGO has issued a report with anonymous witnesses. At least one, the sergeant Amir, it is not. "
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