Comments on: IDF Testimony of Possible War Crimes

By: Mary Rizzo

Mary Rizzo — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 21:31:10 +0000

Richard, thanks for your outstanding work. We are translating it into Spanish, Arabic and other laguages are to follow.

By: Margaret

Margaret — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 17:26:10 +0000

McCLatchy News printed much of this information, which is a break-through.

Thank you once again!

By: Lazynative

Lazynative — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 14:33:00 +0000

Valuable translation here; it is becoming increasingly difficult to cover over the IDF’s policy of indiscriminate killing of civilians. It won’t change though unless pressure is brought from Israeli civil society or put on Israel by the US. both look some way off now.

By: orgo

orgo — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 03:32:11 +0000

Good to know there men like Zamir in the army. I’m frightened to think what the next war will look like. the level of dehumanization of Palestinians, exemplified by those t -shirts, is clearly rising.

By: Donald Johnson

Donald Johnson — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 16:57:14 +0000

I don’t expect an IDF investigation to be anything more than a whitewash. The real villains will probably escape, or get a slap on the wrist.

And not because it’s Israel–I doubt that any military organization anywhere is capable of conducting an investigation that would go after people at the very top. You get some honest people within the organization (like General Taguba when he investigated Abu Ghraib), but there are limits on what one honest person can do in a morally corrupt organization.

Sharon got a slap on the wrist after Sabra and Shatila, but in a just world he probably should have gone to jail. Actually, in a just world he’d have gone to jail after Qibya.

By: Nomi

Nomi — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 14:55:42 +0000

Thank you, Richard, for this translation and post. I have linked to it on my blog.

By: Suzanne

Suzanne — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 10:54:29 +0000

Thank you for this translation Richard. This should be published more broadly in English and I hope it will be. Also I am relieved there are still soldiers that can feel some conscience and that they are not all yet brought up to hate and dehumanize all Arabs.

I wonder how many Israeli’s will read this and still feel their own consciences and will be moved and shocked by it or whether it will be rationalized in some way as I just experienced a few days ago when still in Israel with friends.

To that thought I add that I am grateful for articles like Bronner’s in yesterday’s NYT After Gaza, Israel Grapples with Crisis if Isolation

ie the reaction internationally (including amongst Jews) to Operation Cast Lead coupled with the rise of Netanyahu/Lieberman.

The reaction in Israel seems to be “they don’t know what we are up against” and so the remedy is a more effective PR campaign and the need go back into Gaza and get the job done.

My experience from this trip is very limited. Friends who I consider on the “left” are outwardly very much on the defensive about the need to use force but also show concern and worry about how Israel appears to the rest of the world.