Israeli soldier serving a mere 45 days after shooting 2 Palestinian women who were waving white flags

[Burnum]

A former Israeli soldier is to serve 45 days in prison on charges in connection with the deaths of a Palestinian mother and daughter who were shot while waving white flags during the three-week war in Gaza in 2008-09.

The ex-soldier, who has not been named, agreed to a plea bargain under which he was convicted of shooting without permission, and the original manslaughter charge dropped. He was the only soldier to be indicted for manslaughter as a result of Operation Cast Lead, in which around 1,400 Palestinians and 13 Israelis were killed.

According to reports and testimonies at the time, Majda Abu Hajaj, 35, and her mother, Rayah, 64, were among 30 people, including children, trying to leave a house where they had taken shelter. The group was fired on and the two women were killed.

In a statement issued at the time of indictment two years ago, the Israeli military said the charge was based on evidence that the former soldier, a marksman, "deliberately targeted an individual walking with a group of people waving a white flag without being ordered or authorised to do so".

According to the ex-soldier's lawyer, there was no conclusive proof to show his client had shot the women.

Human rights groups, which say dozens of civilians were killed unlawfully during the conflict, have criticised the Israeli Defence Forces for conducting its own investigations into allegations of wrongdoing.

The killing of the two women was recorded in the United Nations-commissioned Goldstone Report, published in September 2009, which accused Israel of war crimes during the conflict.

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Do the Israeli Military even see Palestinians as people anymore?

[Morbius Sire]

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Do the Israeli Military even see Palestinians as people anymore?

No, I don't believe they do. Had these two women been Israeli, the person killing them would have been killed within a few days or given several life sentences in israeli prisons. Double standards, really.


Add to that the whole Eretz(Greater) Israel that settlers and hardliners are so fond of, and the situation is grim.

[Tiberios]

That's simply retarded. This soldier should have been given a much longer jail sentence.

[Menelik_I]

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In a statement issued at the time of indictment two years ago, the Israeli military said the charge was based on evidence that the former soldier, a marksman, "deliberately targeted an individual walking with a group of people waving a white flag without being ordered or authorised to do so".

Was that individual from Hamas ? AFAIK using Human Shields is a war crime ... but lets make it about about Israeli soldier machinegunning civilians.

The soldier should have waited proper authorization to take the shot, and not have not put the civilians life in danger, however it is Hamas that don't give a about civilians by using them as human shields.

There are some videos of various cases of Hamas militants forcing civilians to act as human shields during Cast Lead. While the Soldier reckless actions and disregard for orders is not justifiable, we need to give proper context to what happened.

[Burnum]

Was that individual from Hamas ? AFAIK using Human Shields is a war crime ... but lets make it about about Israeli soldier machinegunning civilians.

The soldier should have waited proper authorization to take the shot, and not have not put the civilians life in danger, however it is Hamas that don't give a about civilians by using them as human shields.

I was wondering how the apologists would spin this, Hamas didn't force them too fire into crowd of civilians. Just like Hamas didn't force the Israeli military to use a 9 year old
asa human shield.

There are some videos of various cases of Hamas militants forcing civilians to act as human shields during Cast Lead. While the Soldier reckless actions and disregard for orders is not justifiable, we need to give proper context to what happened.

You have no evidence this was the case at all.

edit: If these were Palestinians you would be calling them murderers and terrorists, instead of absolving their crimes.

[Menelik_I]

You have no evidence this was the case at all.

I am quoting your own OP article quote :

OP :

In a statement issued at the time of indictment two years ago, the Israeli military said the charge was based on evidence that the former soldier, a marksman, "deliberately targeted an individual walking with a group of people waving a white flag without being ordered or authorised to do so".

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012...soldier-jailed

So the Soldier was a Marksman, ie a sniper, and was targeting not the crowd by an individual in that crowd, and this is from your own OP and it disprove the OP assertion that this was a deliberate targeting of civilians.

Again, please tell us : Was the individual targeted from Hamas ? Yes or No.

[John ''True Grit'' Wayne]

What is Kralle?

[Inconsistent]

"According to the ex-soldier's lawyer, there was no conclusive proof to show his client had shot the women."

I think that's the most relevant part of that article. If there isn't enough proof, they go for a plea bargain, simply how it goes. War sucks.

[DimeBagHo]

The OP provides an insufficient basis for discussion. PM me if you want to improve this. Closed in the meantime.