Former Israeli soldiers break the silence on military violations

[Samoray 165]

Campaign group Breaking the Silence has met with a hostile response from Israel, especially after it published testimony by soldiers who took part in the war on Gaza in 2008-09.

Transgressions by the Israeli army in the occupied Palestinian territories will be disclosed by a group of former soldiers in an internet campaign aimed at raising public awareness of military violations.

- some of whom are identifying themselves for the first time - will be posted on YouTube. The campaign by Breaking the Silence, an organisation of former soldiers committed to speaking out on military practices, launches with English subtitles on Monday.

Some of the former soldiers describe the "neighbour procedure", a term for the use of Palestinian civilians, often children, as human shields to protect soldiers from suspected booby traps or attacks by militants. The procedure was ruled illegal by Israel's high court in 2005.

• Others speak of routine harassment of civilians at checkpoints, arbitrary intimidation and collective punishment.
  Idan Barir, who served in the artillery corps, describes in his testimony how an officer forced Palestinian civilians to crawl in a "race" towards a checkpoint near Jenin in the West Bank during the 2000 olive harvest. Only the first three out of "teams" of eight were allowed to pass.
  Another, Itamar Schwarz, says Palestinian homes were routinely ransacked in search operations. He describes the day of the World Cup final in 2002, when soldiers confined a Palestinian woman and child in the kitchen of their home for two hours while the unit watched the game in the middle of an operation.
  Arnon Degani, who served in the Golani brigade, describes the distress of a young woman who tearfully pleaded to be allowed to pass through a Jenin checkpoint in order to sit an important exam. He gradually came to understand, he says, that the Israeli army's intention was "to enforce tyranny on people who you know are regular civilians" and to "make it clear who's in control here".

http://www.breakingthesilence.org.il/

http://www.youtube.com/user/shovrim

http://www.guardian....s-break-silence

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Okay, we get it. Israel, bad. Hamas, great.

Let's move on, alright?

[Samoray 165]

Who said Hamas is great ?

[The Dude 206]

Who said Hamas is great ?

That seems to be the implication of quite a few of your posts.

[^_^ 5,021]

[/b][/size] Transgressions by the Israeli army in the occupied Palestinian territories ...

This unfortunately happens when you have an occupation situation. I am sure Israel would love to leave you alone but first it has to believe that if it does you will leave it alone. So far you've given Israel no reason to believe that implementing a two-state solution will actually put an end to your hate.

[Samoray 165]

That seems to be the implication of quite a few of your posts.

No actually I have said it many times that i don't support Hamas, but seems like many people just want to believe that because i say Palestinians need a life too as the Israelis and those same people believe that Palestinians deserve to die just like so many haters i have seen here, they go like OMG You're against what Israel is doing to the Palestinians ???? then you are with Hamas the terrorist.

[Samoray 165]

This unfortunately happens when you have an occupation situation. I am sure Israel would love to leave you alone but first it has to believe that if it does you will leave it alone. So far you've given Israel no reason to believe that implementing a two-state solution will actually put an end to your hate.

That's what you call hate when you say

let Israel blow them all to life after

[TBoneTX 45,957]

"If the Arabs lay down their weapons, there will be no more war. If Israel lays down her weapons, there will be no more Israel."

[Samoray 165]

[luckytxn 2,265]

"If the Arabs lay down their weapons, there will be no more war. If Israel lays down her weapons, there will be no more Israel."

That's all they want is no more Israel. They even elected as their representatives in free elections the ones that have aims to destroy Israel and believe that Israel has no right to exist. They are even moronic enough to believe that because of this that Israel should accommodate them politically.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

That's all they want is no more Israel. They even elected as their representatives in free elections the ones that have aims to destroy Israel and believe that Israel has no right to exist. They are even moronic enough to believe that because of this that Israel should accommodate them politically.

Angry, desperate people do angry, desperate things. That's as true of Israel (and the quote about paying down arms) as it is about the Palestinians.

Calling a people living under extreme conditions "moronic" seems rather harsh to me.

[ready4ONE 5,400]

Moronic may be a harsh term, however it may be a very apt description for certain actions on both sides of this conflict. It isn't particularly difficult to find examples to illustrate this fact.

[Zero Sum 305]

Moronic may be a harsh term, however it may be a very apt description for certain actions on both sides of this conflict. It isn't particularly difficult to find examples to illustrate this fact.

Yep. Both sides need to relax. And those Palestinians resorting to violence to show the world how bad the occupation is are not helping their people or their cause... As much as those Israelis using systematic repression to defend themselves.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

Hamas = terrorists

Hamas supporters = ...... you guessed it

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Hamas = terrorists

Hamas supporters = ...... you guessed it

How many more nuggets of wisdom do you have up there?