IDF probe: Cannot defend destruction of Gaza homes

[IndianaGreen]

Last update - 11:45 15/02/2009

IDF probe: Cannot defend destruction of Gaza homes

By Amos Harel

Israel Defense Forces investigations into last month's offensive in the Gaza Strip indicate the army could face significant difficulties justifying the scale of destruction of civilian homes during the fighting. A military source involved in the investigation told Haaretz, "It's clear to us that in a small portion of the combat sectors immeasurable damage was caused, and that is very difficult to justify from a legal perspective, particularly if such justifications are called for in legal proceedings with international organizations."

In the course of fighting, the IDF destroyed hundreds of houses in different sectors, and Palestinian sources estimate several thousands of houses suffered damage. Some of the homes were struck as a result of aerial strikes, others during ground fighting in densely-built urban areas.

Still others were damaged by bulldozers or in controlled explosions according to the orders of battalion and brigade commanders on the ground. However, those making the decisions were often not the brigade commanders themselves, but support staff such as operational commanders.

Senior commanders attached to units operating in Gaza last month said IDF bulldozers were in high demand during the fighting, and brigade commanders often pushed for their units to be granted such vehicles.

Last week Channel 2 reported that according to estimates produced by the security establishment, about one-third of those killed during the fighting were "uninvolved civilians," a figure which Palestinian sources put much higher.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1064161.html

[Idealism]

1. Alan Dershowitz will be more than happy to try, though.

[azurnoir]

2. It is "odd" that IDF can not defend

destroying buildings but it can defend killing the people that lived in them.

[eyl]

3. The wording of the headline is a bit misleading

While it gives the impression that the IDF could not defend the destruction of most or all homes involved, reading the body of the text makes clear that the "undefensible" acts are a small minority of the whole.

[Violet_Crumble]

4. Not really...

I'm wondering what they define as a 'small portion of the combat sectors'. How many homes does that involve?