How Israel used it's own civilians as human shields while assaulting Gaza.

This is a very interesting article that makes several great points and points out some of Israel's hypocrisy. I had never really thought about it before, but it's not even really debatable Israel totally used human shields. Regardless of the fact that it more than less inconveniences rather than endangers civilians - that is only because it isn't expected that Hamas is capable of mounting well targeted or orchestrated attacks. However, that doesn't justify Israeli military making civilians targets by using their kibbutz as stations off the front line and should an Hamas incursion find success, making these villages the place Hamas would most likely find soldiers.

“Most of the days soldiers were fighting in the Gaza Strip in the morning and in the evening they were coming back to our kibbutz, bringing their weapons there, they were sleeping there, and sometimes they were practicing [military drills] in the fields, in the kibbutz grass — they were hiding there and making plans,” Raz told me. “The way I saw it, they were using us as human shields.” Raz recalled, “We were right on the border of the Gaza Strip and they were practicing in the fields with weaponry, whether it’s with their rifle or armored vehicles. I could hear explosions [from the fields] while they were practicing and maybe even shooting things into Gaza.”

It also touches on the point that many important Israelis have tried to blur the line between Palestinian civilians and Hamas (and the large civilian death toll to Palestinians is likely a result of this). This of course becomes a dangerous position for Israel as they force all civilians into service and make them remain in reserve until they are 40 which means they are always switching between civilian and military role for a large part of their lives which actually does blur the lines (and in many instances from this most recent attack you find Israeli civilians who offer support in ways that have them driving up to the front lines, or even going there for entertainment to watch rockets shot down - something unique to the Israeli battlefield). It of course doesn't linger on that point so it can't be implied that Israeli civilians, even if they are between military roles, are any less of a civilian.

Definitely worth checking out.

How Israel Used It's Own Civilians As Human Shields While Assaulting Gaza

The whole point just did not make sense to me.

a reply to: GogoVicMorrow It really has no merit because none were killed because israelis were hiding behind them. Now if hamas had guided misles and targeted locations that had isrealis weapons hiding amoung their schools then that would be wrong.

What exactly were they shielding from?

a reply to: GogoVicMorrow
Hoax from a muslim troll.

originally posted by: GogoVicMorrow
This *SNIP*

You can't function as a shield if you are already the primary target...

a reply to: GogoVicMorrow

I read the article... was rather stupid, I felt. I also clicked around and pulled up other articles which also had little in the way of sound journalism involved. As a journalistic source, this one fails rather miserably as it is beyond subjective. I would not hesitate to say that some of the authors that contributed articles have a lack of understanding what the word objective means with regards to reporting.

Might as well link an article from Mad Magazine as a basis for your OP. It will contain just as much truth, but a buttload more humor

a reply to: GogoVicMorrow

This just doesn't make sense, dozens of Israeli villages close to the Gaza strip has been evacuated by the IDF during the war, very few people stayed there if any.

On the other hand, this happened in Gaza after the IDF evacuated Palestinians from their neighborhoods:


So who cares for the citizens and staying behind them? Your point is invalid.

a reply to: deadeyedick

Apparently any time that soldiers are in civilian areas (no matter how safe) they are using the civilians as shields.

So..I didn't realize it but apparently all the troops in bases in the US that are close to populated areas are using us as human shields. Whoda thunk it?

Garbage article written by kool-aid drinkers for kool-aid drinkers.

a reply to: mattsawaufo

What an ignorant comment.

Very poor hit piece.
But it will stand in the thread list as if Israel used human shields, lacking any evidence for the accusation.
That is probably its only purpose.

a reply to: GogoVicMorrow
Don't you know the eternal victims can never be what they wrongfully accuse others of being??
On the brighter side, israel has absolutely lost the propaganda war!
It cost many innocent lives but, the world knows how bloodthirsty these animals are now.
In the very least one generation israel will be all alone, they better pursue some real peace.

a reply to: g146541

If you read the article, then you know it's bogus, and your post is based on .. bogus.

If you didn't read the article, then guess what? Your post is still based on .. bogus.

Another example of an Israeli war crime, turns out this video is in fact genuine.

During his search the 23-year-old, also known as "man in the green shirt", was fatally shot as he strayed into the sights of an apparent Israeli sniper. Today, a former Israeli soldier has told Channel 4 News he can shed light on what happened. Eran Efrati left the army in 2008. He is now an activist who has sought to expose Israeli military transgressions. He told Channel 4 News he has taken testimony from soldiers who were there when Shamaly was shot. Mr Efratri said: "These soldiers are deciding on a theoretical red line that nobody can pass. You can be killed for crossing this line. There is a video of a man looking for his family. Two soldiers ask if it is ok to shoot him." He described what happened next: "The sniper is getting into position - he is asking his offcer, three, times 'when can I shoot him?' "The officer tells them 'wait, wait, we need the man in the green shirt to cross the red line'. 'Revenge attack' "The third time the officers tell him, 'you can shoot'. "He shoots two more bullets into his body and kills him." Mr Efrati confirmed: "I heard this testimony from three soldiers." He added: "They were completely convinced that what they did was wrong. They were guilty. The man in the green shirt was not any threat to their lives. "The officer allowed this revenge attack in the middle of Gaza."

And also, this Regev guy, I've watched a lot of politicians lie, but this guy is good, he almost believes his own crap haha:

www.channel4.com...

originally posted by: deadeyedick
a reply to: GogoVicMorrow It really has no merit because none were killed because israelis were hiding behind them. Now if hamas had guided misles and targeted locations that had isrealis weapons hiding amoung their schools then that would be wrong.

What exactly were they shielding from?

Actually it does. The Israeli government moved Israeli citizens into that land as a buffer. It's pretty much the definition of human shields. Israel has a whole human buffer, they have a human wall around Gaza.

And those civilians have been killed, they are the civilians that are killed pretty much anytime you hear that a rocket killed a civilian.

a reply to: mattsawaufo

Sorry, white guy, raised by a baptist family. Read it and have something more thoughtful to say than blanket racism.

originally posted by: Mirthful Me

originally posted by: GogoVicMorrow
This *SNIP*

You can't function as a shield if you are already the primary target...

Civilians are the primary target? That's odd, because Hamas killed 99% IDF and maybe 1% or .5% civilians. On the other hand Israel killed 75-89% civilians.

So unless you are sitting in on their meetings you can't really know their intentions. Actions speak louder than Israel or the US words though.

originally posted by: TinfoilTP
Very poor hit piece.
But it will stand in the thread list as if Israel used human shields, lacking any evidence for the accusation.
That is probably its only purpose.

Except for a first hand account from an Israeli who lived in one of the Kibbutz that was used by Israeli soldiers during operation Cast Lead.

Wouldn't using a human shield require the person shooting care about whether your shield lives or dies? Since a good % of the rockets are targeted right into the areas adjacent to the Gaza border in a 'spray and pray' approach to hitting something, would they care or alter their plans because Israelis have Israeli citizens in the area too?

It seems to me that it might cause them to shoot MORE not less. Get Israelis and IDF troops at the same time. Looking at Hamas tactics and priorities? That does seem more likely as the outcome. That wouldn't be shields, but magnets.

originally posted by: bbracken677
a reply to: deadeyedick

Apparently any time that soldiers are in civilian areas (no matter how safe) they are using the civilians as shields.

So..I didn't realize it but apparently all the troops in bases in the US that are close to populated areas are using us as human shields. Whoda thunk it?

Garbage article written by kool-aid drinkers for kool-aid drinkers.

This is absurd. You are comparing US bases, to Israeli soldiers moving into and moving weapons into Israeli villages.

This is really funny because the Israeli supporters are really showing their true colors. They only support the Israeli government and not the Israeli people. I liked this piece specifically because it's not anti Israeli at all. It's showing the government using Israeli people which is wrong.

originally posted by: MrCynic
Wouldn't using a human shield require the person shooting care about whether your shield lives or dies? Since a good % of the rockets are targeted right into the areas adjacent to the Gaza border in a 'spray and pray' approach to hitting something, would they care or alter their plans because Israelis have Israeli citizens in the area too?

It seems to me that it might cause them to shoot MORE not less. Get Israelis and IDF troops at the same time. Looking at Hamas tactics and priorities? That does seem more likely as the outcome. That wouldn't be shields, but magnets.

IDF is Hamas primary target not civilians, but if you want to look at it that way, the outcome is the same: HAMAS is more likely to attack the villages that Israeli soldiers are holding up in.

Drop Human Shields if you want (even though it's the word used by an Israeli that experienced this), just say "IDF endanger Israeli civilians by falling back and moving weapons to villages/kibbutz."

If there weren't rules that's what I would have titled it.