[News] Report finds new Israeli war doctrine targets civilians

[Anti-Imperialist News]

http://www.stoptorture.org.il/en/node/1504

Report finds new Israeli war doctrine targets civilians

Press release, The Public Committee Against Torture in Israel, 3 December 2009

The Public Committee Against Torture in Israel (PCATI) released today 
[2 December 2009] a new report which exposes the shifts in Israel's 
combat doctrine as evidenced in the prosecution of operation "Cast 
Lead" and from numerous public oral and written statements made by 
high ranking military officers and senior Israeli government officials.

The report, "No Second Thoughts: Changes in the IDF's Combat Doctrine 
In Light Of Operation 'Cast Lead'," demonstrates Israel's application 
of a new combat doctrine during the hostilities in Gaza, which is 
based on two principles:

"Zero Casualties": The complete prioritization of avoiding IDF 
[Israeli army] casualties while disregarding the increased risk to 
Palestinian civilians. The implementation of this policy is evident 
in the massive use of fire power, the use of white phosphorous 
weapons in densely populated areas, and in firing at Palestinians in 
the streets, with no discrimination between combatants and civilians, 
this even after the IDF would order the evacuation of residents from 
civilian homes.

"Dahiyah Doctrine": named after the residential Dahiyah district in 
Beirut, where Hizballah enjoyed support and also had its 
headquarters. The district was massively bombed by the IDF during the 
Second Lebanon War. The doctrine promotes targeting civilian 
infrastructure in order to cause widespread destruction and suffering 
among the civilian population so as to foment popular opposition to 
Israel's opponents (namely Hamas and Hizballah).

As a result of the implementation of these principles, the fighting 
in the Gaza Strip caused intentional and large-scale damage to 
civilian infrastructure as well as the killing of hundreds of 
non-combatant civilians (despite the absence of an official policy to 
intentionally kill civilians). Israel's actions directly contradict 
official statements claiming that the IDF acted in accordance with 
international humanitarian law and took every possible measure to 
avoid harming non-militant civilians.

This combat doctrine morally stains the citizens of Israel. It may 
lead to increased international isolation of Israel and to a 
situation where Israeli soldiers, officers and leaders will face 
arrest outside of Israel and be charged with war crimes. The writers 
of the report summarize: "So fundamental a shift in the IDF's combat 
doctrine, which has such a far-reaching impact, shouldn't be 
considered only in the closed forums of the General Headquarters and 
the Security Cabinet, but demands substantial public discussion."

<http://www.electronicintifada.net/downloads/pdf/091204-pcati-gaza.pdf>Download 
the full report



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