550 officers and soldiers of "Cast Lead" have been interrogated for possible war crimes

One of my friends has brought this to my attention:

In article buried on page 8 as a small news item in the Israeli news paper Yediot Aharonot:

550 OFFICERS AND SOLDIERS OF “CAST LEAD” HAVE BEEN INTERROGATED.

By our military correspondent Yossi Yehoshua

Brigadier Ilan Malka is not alone. More than 550 officers and men of IDF who participated in the “Cast Lead” operation have been interrogated by the investigative military police of the IDF in the last 18 months.

Last Friday “Yediot Aharonot” wrote that former GIV’ATI brigade commander [Ilan Malka A.O.] will be interrogated about an aerial attack in “Cast Lead” that killed 21 members of one [Gaza A.O.] family. It now turns out that hundreds more were interrogated, some more than once. Among the interrogated are almost all battalion commanders who participated in the operation and dozens of soldiers in regular service and in the reserves. It is a number without precedent in any other [Israeli A.O.] operation or war. Senior officers expressed their worry that this will create a situation in future wars where commanders in the field will think twice before carrying out problematic operations, due to fear of legal steps taken against them later. Battalion and platoon commanders who participated in “Cast Lead” find it difficult to go through the interrogations. One battalion commander said he had to spend his few days of Leave in interrogation chambers instead of with his family. He said “Even if they try to deny it the damage caused to commanders is immense” adding “It is an unpleasant feeling to risk your life for your country and then be interrogated about it again and again”.

So far the interrogations gave rise to a considerable number of disciplinary – and legal – steps. The most serious one was taken last week when the Chief Military Prosecutor, Aloof Avihai Mandelblit, decided to charge a Giv’ati soldier for committing murder. On another occasion he decided to court-martial a Golani battalion commander for ignoring IDF instructions forbidding “use of neighbor” tactics.

(My note: “Use of neighbor” tactic is the act where soldiers preparing to enter a suspected house force the neighbors to walk in front of them as a human shield.)

This is out of the blog of a nice person I met in Tel Aviv and had a nice chat with about politics.

maxblumenthal.com...

This is what I've been saying all along- That the IDF does check on its own people.. We don't just let things slide.. Orders are to not harm civilians no matter what, and if you disobey orders, you get punished. That's how discipline works.

[edit on 19-7-2010 by Eliad]

reply to post by Eliad


Good post! Generally all militaries want to know of violations of the "rules of war" and police their own, This is something the IDF is doing right,

reply to post by Eliad


This is a mistake. None of the Heroes of Cast Lead should face ANY kind of questioning over their actions.

Israel should not give ANY concessions to the muslim terrorists occupying Gaza & the West Bank. Why betray white settlers from Europe and Russia who won this land by their bravery in war against these dark demons.

Israel must not make the same errors as apartheid South Africa and go "soft" on the coloured natives. President De Klerk gave concession after concession to the blacks, releasing convicted terrorists like Mandela, and look what happened to their country.

I can only hope that the so called "interrogations" of brave Israeli soldiers are just the usual "Dog and Pony" show for our friends in the media. I note that no meaningful punishments are mentioned in the article! (lol!).

Eilad, I applaud you bringing this to our attention. It is important that "justice" is seen to be done! (rofl!)

Israel MUST be for Jews and Jews alone.

CHOSEN PEOPLE + PROMISED LAND = ISRAEL.

[edit on 21-7-2010 by Lionel]

reply to post by Lionel


You dont really believe all that do you? Gods chosen people and the promised land bit? I mean seriously you dont really believe that do you?

This is the problem in the Middle East, everyone thinks their religion is the chosen one and will fight to the death because they believe their God is on their side. Madness, and mental illness on a huge and terrifying scale on both sides.

Originally posted by Lionel
This is a mistake. None of the Heroes of Cast Lead should face ANY kind of questioning over their actions.

Israel should not give ANY concessions to the muslim terrorists occupying Gaza & the West Bank.

This isn't about terrorists, this is about innocent civilians. They wouldn't face any action over killing terrorists.

CHOSEN PEOPLE + PROMISED LAND = ISRAEL.

That's precisely why I won't fall on my knees in front of this "God" people talk about. Besides being an obvious racist, he simply causes too much trouble.

reply to post by Lionel

Which Jews? They're even fighting among themselves now, no?

Israel's Ultra-Orthodox Reject the Diaspora, Threatening to Split World Jewry

Orthodox leader: Conversion bill good for Jews

Tisha Be’Av and the future of Zionism

A call for state-sanctioned religious tolerance

I don't know who this Lionel is, but he's either crazy, or he's (much more likely) a fake account made by some juvenile member of this forum pretending to be some kind of a crazy Zionist brainwashed person...

I wouldn't take him seriously if I were you.

Oh and Lionel, the IDF doesn't tell the media how it punishes its soldiers, but trust me, people are going to spend time in jail, I know the IDF, it is not forgiving.

reply to post by Lionel


Lionel my boy, you are one sick puppy.