IDF to appeal human shield ban

The practice of using human shields is against international law
The Israeli Defence Ministry will appeal against a supreme court ruling banning the use of Palestinian human shields in raids, officials said.

Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz is prepared to make a personal appearance in court to defend the practice, ministry officials added.

Human rights groups have frequently condemned the use of human shields.

The Israeli military believes that the use of Palestinian civilians can often defuse a tense situation.

Mr Mofaz is also set to argue that alternative methods of apprehending suspects, such as through the use of bulldozers, would endanger the lives of both Israeli soldiers and Palestinian civilians, a military source said.

Early warning

The Israeli supreme court issued its formal ruling last week, saying the practice violates international law.

It had already issued a temporary injunction against the practice in 2002 after a teenager was killed when troops made him negotiate with a wanted militant.

The court ruled out both the placing of civilians in front of soldiers on operations and an "early warning" procedure employed by the army.

In this practice, the Israeli army would force local Palestinians to approach the homes of militants and ask them to surrender.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4333982.stm
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"Pushing little children,
With their fully automatics,
They like to push the weak around"

Agent Provacators as well...
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Bil'in residents: Undercover troops provoked stone-throwing

By Haaretz Service and Itim

Prison Service troops disguised as Arabs incited Palestinian youths to throwing stones at Israel Defense Forces troops during a weekly demonstration against the separation fence in the West Bank village of Bil'in, village residents said on Friday.

The residents said that the disguised troops told the youths to throw the stones and then joined them in doing so. When they were asked their identity, they presented themselves as Arabs from Lod, a city in central Israel, who arrived with the Israeli and foreign demonstrators.

When the troops, members of the Prison Service special unit Masada, did not heed a request to show identification and were found to be in the possession of firearms, their identities were reportedly exposed. IDF soldiers came to the scene and dispersed them.

A few months ago, the same unit was accused of similar activities in a Bil'in demonstration, after which a military court judge ruled that the unit lacks the authority to operate in the Palestinian territories. It is unclear whether the unit received special permission to operate in this case.

An IDF spokesman rejected the claim that the undercover troops incited the youths, saying they joined them after stones were already being thrown. However, the spokesman also acknowledged that no Palestinian demonstrators were arrested.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/634906.html