Israeli soldiers give testimony to war crimes during assault

[joeblow]

Israeli soldiers give testimony to war crimes during assault on Gaza

http://www.gnn.tv/headlines/20732/Israe ... lt_on_Gaza

Summary:

Israeli military's claim that they are the most moral army in the world took a serious hit on Wednesday when the group Breaking the Silence published 54 anonymous testimonies from more than two dozen soldiers on its website claiming that Israeli commanders told their troops to minimize their own casualties even if it meant risking the lives of Palestinian civilians.

Their testimony of the use of overwhelming force with little regard for civilians jibes with the Palestinian and international rights group's allegations.

One testimony by a medic told of a rabbi ordering his unit before going into Gaza to "shoot for the body."

Israeli army officials are obviously doing everything possible to play down the report by attacking the credibility of those giving testimony and questioning why they remained anonymous.

Prominent Israeli human rights lawyer Michael Sfard, who authored an opinion piece to coincide with the report, says that it is an offense under military regulations to be interviewed without the approval of the IDF spokesperson and notes that soldiers have been put on trial for leaks to the press. In addition, the soldiers' testimonies could incriminate them or their friends.
[Posted By shades]
By Josh Mitnick
Republished from Christian Science Monitor
More than two dozen alleged in a report published Wednesday that they were under pressure to minimize army casualties even at the risk of killing Palestinian civilians.

Tel Aviv – Israeli combatants in the Gaza war against Hamas were told by commanders to minimize their own casualties even if it meant risking the lives of Palestinian civilians, a group of Israeli soldiers have alleged.

On Wednesday, Breaking the Silence published 54 anonymous testimonies from more than two dozen soldiers on its website. The organization, founded for the express purpose of compiling such accounts, accused the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) of sacrificing more rigorous rules of combat engagement for a political end: preventing high Israeli casualty numbers that would have splintered the country's unity over the January war.

During and after the war, Israeli officials often referred to the IDF as "the most moral army in the world....
[end excerpt]

[MonkeySeeMonkeyDo]

lol, 54 anonymous testimonies finally admitting what has been in plain view for 60 years deserves no respect whatsoever. It is cowardly and pathetic.