Israel has repeatedly denied reports of deliberate targeting of civilians during its wars in the Gaza Strip, those claims were once again proven false today with the release of a new report by Israeli veterans NGO Breaking the Silence.
The report features testimony from more than 60 Israeli soldiers who confirmed that not only did they deliberately target civilians during the most recent invasion, but that they were explicitly ordered to do so.
“Whoever you see there, you kill,” is how one soldier summed up the orders. He said soldiers were told the civilians “knew they’re not supposed to be there” and therefore they were to kill anyone who wasn’t an Israeli soldier on sight.
Soldiers went on to say that traditional admonishments to use “minimum force” were thrown out the window in the war, and that civilian homes were deliberately attacked “without any clear operational justification,” sometimes just because the military wanted to demonstrate their military control over the neighborhoods.
The report concluded that Israel’s military had suffered from a “broad ethical failure” during the war, and one that extended from the top of the chain of command.
During the month-long Israeli invasion, 2,189 Palestinians were killed. The overwhelming majority, 1,486, were civilians, including many ordered out of their neighborhoods and into UN facilities, which were then deliberately attacked.
Though the IDF insists it is “investigating” claims of abuse, it has repeatedly denied any systematic wrongdoing during the war, saying it is the “most ethical” military ever.
Disgraceful: I give the soldiers credit for coming forward. Netanyahu to the war crimes tribunal.
zey vere ohnly followink ohhhhrduzz!
Didn't work for the Nazis who were killing Jews, shouldn't work for Jews killing others to make their own LIVING ROOM!
Think how much worse it would if they weren't "the most ethical army in the world"
The Israeli commander already answered the question, no comments is needed!
Good to know, for those who didn't know already. Some fine friend the US has got there.
There will come a day when an attack so brutal comes to Israel and it will be beyond "well deserved". No mercy on these sick craven animals. Bring it on now!
Of course the civilians were ethically identified, ethically targeted, and ethically shot.
Now I wonder what will be done to these IDF veterans for coming forward. Whatever misfortune befalls them I'm sure it will all be ethically defensible.
They will be officially declared traitors and terrorist sympathizers by Netanyahoo and his band of rightwing merrymakers as well as the Knesset, who like the US Congress are crawling with racist warmongers.
soldiers were told the civilians “knew they’re not supposed to be there”
That'd be a bizarre thing to say in this context… until you remember this is the Jews who are looking to make the goyim, Arabs in particular, 'feel unwelcome.' It's an expression of confidence that they're succeeding. Or, better, in the absolute 'righteousness' of their harassment given who's-doing-to-whom and for whose benefit.
These murdering Zionist thugs haven't said anything that (we) didn't already know.
Their (orders) to murder civilians likely came from the sick deranged psychopath
war criminal Nutty Yahoo himself.
"Whoever you see there you kill". Lt. Calley, of My Lai infamy; would heartily agree. See "Kill Anything That Moves"; book by Nick Turse.
Looks like Netanyahu and now the Saudi Dictator have something in common. Time for the "International Community" (the real International Community) to bring war crime indictments against Netanyahu, The Saudi King, and the leaders of Washington DC.
They are following what America did in Korea/Vietnam/Afganistan and Iraq.
And to think that we stood in judgment of German soldiers who were just following orders from Hitler! It appears that what goes around comes around, and now the oppressed have become the oppressors.