Two Israeli soldiers ‘take fall’ for Gaza offensive [View All]

[oberliner]

Almost two years since the Israeli army's Cast Lead offensive in Gaza, two soldiers have been convicted of using a Palestinian boy as a human shield during the operation. A military court found the staff sergeants guilty of "inappropriate behaviour" and exceeding their authority "to the point of endangering life", after hearing evidence that the pair ordered the nine-year-old to open bags suspected of containing explosives.

Using civilians as human shields is strictly forbidden under Israeli law, in line with the Geneva Convention's proscription of the procedure, and although the IDF has for years faced accusations of continuing the practice, this is the first case of its kind to result in a conviction.

While human rights campaigners welcomed the court's verdict, there were suspicions from both supporters and critics of the accused that the soldiers had been made fall guys to placate an outside world still furious at Isarel's handling of the Cast Lead hostilities in December-January 2008-09.

Despite over 150 internal investigations being opened by the Israeli military into alleged misconduct by its troops during the assault on Gaza, only 36 have been referred for criminal prosecutions, and – until yesterday's verdict – only one conviction has been handed down by the courts, in the case of a soldier accused of petty theft.


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