Posted on 08/03/2006 7:11:09 AM PDT by SJackson
Official Military Source to IMRA: IDF will continue to honor human shields Aaron Lerner Date: 3 August 2006
According to the IDF Spokesperson announcement "Completion of inquiry into July 30th incident in Qana" (see below), even though "The residents of Qana and the villages surrounding it were warned several times, through various media, to evacuate the area.". "Had the information indicated that civilians were present in the building the attack would not have been carried out."
IMRA asked the IDF Spokesperson's Office if this means that if the IDF had known that the building was indeed packed with rockets and also "civilians" that the IDF would not have hit it.
An "official security source" replied: "Yes. The IDF does not target innocent civilians."
IMRA asked the IDF Spokesperson's Office if this means that if Hezbollah organizes a group of "civilians" to ring a rocket launcher as the rocket is prepared for launch and then launches the rocket towards Israel that the IDF won't attack the target.
An "official security source" replied: "Yes. The IDF will not attack a target where innocent civilians are known to be present. Hezbollah is already doing this and the IDF is not attacking targets under those circumstances."
---- August 3rd 2006 IDF SPOKESPERSON ANNOUNCEMENT Completion of inquiry into July 30th incident in Qana
Today, August 2nd 2006, the IDF Chief of Staff was presented with the findings of the inquiry conducted into the incident in Qana on July 30th.
The inquiry confirms the information provided in the press briefing held by the IDF on the day of the incident, according to which the IDF targeted the building in an aerial attack on July 30th at 00:52 with two missiles, the first of which exploded and the second was apparently a dud.
The building was targeted in accordance with the military's guidelines regarding the use of fire against suspicious structures inside villages whose residents have been warned to evacuate, and which were adjacent to areas from where rockets are fired towards Israel. The guidelines were drafted based on surveillance and study of the behavior of the terrorists, who use civilian structures inside villages to store weaponry and hide in after launching rockets attacks.
Since July 12th over 150 rockets were launched from within the village of Qana itself and the immediate surrounding area. The residents of Qana and the villages surrounding it were warned several times, through various media, to evacuate the area.
The IDF operated according to information that the building was not inhabited by civilians and was being used as a hiding place for terrorists.
Had the information indicated that civilians were present in the building the attack would not have been carried out.
Prior to the attack on the aforementioned building several other buildings which were part of the infrastructure for terror activity in the area were targeted.
In his summary the Chief of Staff Lt. General Dan Halutz again expressed his sorrow for the deaths of civilians, among them children, in the incident in Qana. He stated that the fight against terror, which cynically uses civilians as human shields and intentionally operates from within civilian villages and infrastructure, is much more difficult than traditional military combat and presents us with both operational and value oriented challenges.
The Chief of Staff emphasized that "The Hezbollah organization places Lebanese civilians as a defensive shield between itself and us while IDF places itself as a defensive shield between the citizens of Israel and Hezbollah's terror. That is the principle difference between us."
The Chief of Staff instructed that guidelines for opening fire against suspicious targets be evaluated and updated immediately, while staying relevant with operational needs and the dynamic nature of the information received, as is done on a regular basis.
The findings of the inquiry were also presented to the Minister of Defense.
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Dr. Aaron Lerner, Director IMRA (Independent Media Review & Analysis) (Mail POB 982 Kfar Sava) Tel 972-9-7604719/Fax 972-3-7255730 INTERNET ADDRESS: imra@netvision.net.il Website: http://www.imra.org.il
Sigh.
Yes this is frustrating. War is war. The Hezzies are abject cowards and scum, as are all Islamic terrorists. While the IDF makes this statement, don't bank on it. I would not.
It is the duty of the SWAT team, while taking care to the utmost practical, of taking out this gunman. Yes, another innocent may be wounded or killed, but that would be acceptable collateral damage to prevent all the other innocents being fired at by the gunman.
I'm holding out they're learning to play the game. Agree to whatever horse hockey that's put in front of them but then get the job done by their own rules.
(Go Israel, Go! Slap 'Em Down Hezbullies.)
Oh, I hope so. Because if it's not, the IDF just incentivized the continued use of human shields. At least if the terrorists think that the tactic won't work, maybe the menfolk over there wouldn't be so quick to offer up their women and children.
The civilians were warned. Most of the "civilians" are on the wrong side anyway. War isn't a game. People die. I'm strongly in favor of bombing hezbollah wherever they are.
I repeat, war is not a game. I don't think there was a lot of handwringing over the casualties in Dresden.
The IDF is in a no win situation with this. If they avoid hitting human sheilds the terrorists will be able to operate with impunity. If they strike regardless of "civilians" present then they are branded as murderers of the innocent. BUT what's even more important to realize is that the terrorists will continue to use human sheilds regardless of what Isreal does because the media will ALWAYS spin it against Israel and never place the blame on the terrorists who are putting innocents in danger by operating in the middle of a populated area. No matter what Israel does they in a sense lose.
I agree with others, I think they'll pay lip service to the UN and other orgs. while prosecuting the war as necessary. I also believe they have the moral high ground and will try not to kill innocents if they don't have to but if you look at the casualty numbers it appears the IDF is doing what is necessary regardless of the loss of "civillian life"
Unfortunately nobody is putting the blame where it belongs - the terrorists and local community leaders who allow the terrorists to launch missiles in thier villages/cities.
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Screw world opinion.
Didn't mean to sound shirty. Just my two cents :)
"Traditional" military combat NEVER gave a Sh!t about civilians. That is a MODERN concept.
PC will kill kill us all.
So will allowing the enemy to make the rules only YOU have to follow.
It makes me sick that we have to follow the Geneva Convention when nobody else does. Kinda like Gitmo. We should have killed all of those terrorists on the battlefield. New rule: shoot first ask questions later if they survive.
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