Israeli Army Uses Civilians as ‘Human Checkers’

A latest investigation by the Israeli Haaretz daily has revealed that the Israeli military systematically uses Palestinian civilians, including children and elderlies, as human shields, as first line of defense to protect themselves and “checkers” of booby-trapped buildings, tunnels and ambushes.

It stated this is a practice that violates international law and has long been condemned by human rights organizations. The probe confirms that the practice is being carried out with the knowledge of senior military officers, up to the Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi who has knowledge of this practice according to the Quds News Network.

This tactic that includes scanning tunnels and houses, has been used repeatedly in many military operations where soldiers wanted to shield themselves from Palestinian resistance fighters. This practice, known as “human shielding,” has become widely practiced as the Israeli army embroiled themselves over the past months in different cities and towns of Gaza.

It involves forcing ordinary civilians to accompany Israeli officers and soldiers as a first line of defense to shield them from harms way. If there are risks and dangers it is these civilians that would act as “shock absorbers” and be the first to be harmed.

The probe findings confirm numerous other reports including Palestinian eyewitnesses and human rights organizations about such practices.They have long documented the use of such tactics by the Israeli army.

These reports show many incidents where Palestinians, including children and elderly men, who were forced to stand near military vehicles, enter suspicious buildings and/or tunnels ahead of these soldiers during raids across the Gaza Strip in places like Gaza City, Khan Younis, Jabalia and elsewhere.

This systematic use of individuals as “human shields” not only exposes them to great dangers  but also constitutes a clear violation of international humanitarian law, which explicitly prohibits the use of civilians in such a manner.

Despite the widespread condemnation, the Haaretz investigation shows that the vile and pernicious practice remains an integral part of the Israeli military’s operational procedures and soldiers have no qualms of picking ordinary people off the streets and using them to protect themselves.

Palestinian officials and advocacy groups had documented dozens of cases where Israel’s military used Palestinians as human shields and repeatedly called for immediate international intervention and accountability for the Israeli military’s actions but to no avail.