IJV Canada breaks the news about the most recent PACTI report released this week, in Israel ! “No Second Thoughts: Changes in the IDF’s Combat Doctrine In Light Of Operation ‘Cast Lead”
Click on image to consult report
This report “demonstrates Israel’s application of a new combat doctrine during the hostilities in Gaza, which is based on two principles:
1. Zero Casualties“: The complete prioritization of avoiding IDF 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.
2. Dahiyah Doctrine:” named after the residential Dahiyah district in Beirut, where the Hezbollah 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 Hezbollah).
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.”
(Public Committee Against Torture in Israel PACTI Press release 2′12 2009)
Bruce, how dare you equate Demjanjuk with anything having to do in Israel, the West bank or Gaza. You can rant and rave about apartheid and genocide but the facts in Israel speak for themselves.
Where were you all the years that missiles were fired from Gaza at Israel and Israeli civilians were slaughtered by suicide bombers? Were you protesting those war crimes and demanding that the perpetrators be put on trial? Perhaps if you and others had, particularly the U.N., there would not have been a Gaza war. And if you read the Goldstone report and subsequent interviews you will see that he clearly says that the “proof” does not meet a legal standard. Is your support for the Palestinians based on white man’s guilt for all the crimes committed by colonialists – scapegoat Israel to deal with your guilt?
Shalom/ Salamaat
Nothing shocks me any longer when it comes to IDF actions against the civilians of the West Bank and in particular Gaza. Judge Goldstone has already exposed their war crimes but no country yet has had the courage to issue warrants for the arrest of Ehud Barack and his gang of thugs. How ironic it is that John Demjanjuk is being tried for the second time(he was found not guilty in Jerusalem court 1988 due to fabricated evidenced presented by the Simon Wiesenthal Centre). Angela Merkel is desperate to prove her Holocaust bona fides to Zionist Israel. However, I take solace in the fact that more and more Jews in the international Diaspora are standing up and challenging Israel’s right to speak for them, and in so doing incriminate world Jewry in their crimes against humanity. Bravo Independent Jewish Voices Canada!