Although the rules of engagement say otherwise, IDF reservists who serve along the seam line in Harish, northern Samaria, say that they are afraid to shoot at PA infiltrators because if they don’t fire exactly according to protocol, an investigation may be launched against them and they just don’t want to get mixed up in a scandal,” Walla reported on Thursday. The soldiers criticize the situation: “Instead of punishing the infiltrators, they get a reward.”
התיעודים האלו לא נתפסים: עשרה חודשים לאחר ש-1,200 ישראלים נרצחו ונטבחו, שב”חים עוברים את גדר ההפרדה (שהושקעו בה מיליארדים) בלי שום הפרעה. “כך לא נראה אדם שמפחד שיירו בו”, אמר אחד המתעדים.
באחד המקרים מדובר בגדר ליד טול כרם, אותו קו תפר שבו יש התרעה חמה ביותר על ניסיון פיגוע… pic.twitter.com/IHNN4MT9JG
— חנן גרינווד (@hanan_green) August 12, 2024
Reserve soldiers in northern Samaria who face the seam line in the Harish region, say that they are terrified of shooting PA Arabs who cross the fence – even though the rules of engagement allow them to. They are afraid of becoming the subject of a Military Police investigation.
THESE ARE THE IDF RULES OF ENGAGEMENT
When a soldier feels a clear and immediate danger to life, his or another’s (after identifying the presence of means, intention, and ability), he is allowed to open fire to neutralize the threat.
The above rule without the parenthesis is cogent and logical. Insanity resides inside the parenthesis. Every soldier knows that he would be picked up by MPs and taken to an interrogation where he would have to explain how he decided the suspect had the means, intention, and ability to kill him. The reservist soldier also knows that he could be detained indefinitely, beyond his term of reserve service, which could result in losing his job. If the media gets hold of the story, he could lose his reputation as well. His family would suffer, and nice people would spit on his wife and kids in the street. I am not making this up – this is why reservists would rather let a few Arbs go through the fence undisturbed. Who needs the headache?
WHEN IDENTIFYING A SUSPICIOUS FIGURE, THIS IS THE ARREST PROTOCOL
- The soldier calls out to the suspicious figure three times: “Stop, stop, stop!” (In Arabic: “Wakef, wakef, wakef”).
- The soldier calls out: “Stop and identify yourself,” or “Stop, what’s the password.”
- The soldier calls out: “Stop, or I’ll shoot!” (In Arabic: “Wakf, willah batuhak!”).
- If the soldier’s weapon is loaded (depending on the orders or the circumstances), he must first perform a demonstrative weapon cocking – for deterrence, and then fire two warning shots in the air at a 60-degree angle.
- If the weapon is not loaded, the soldier points it at an empty area, at a 60-degree angle, and demonstratively cocks his weapon for deterrence only.
- At the next stage, if necessary, the soldier inserts a cartridge and cocks the weapon for deterrence, before the stage where he fires warning shots as mentioned.
- The soldier shoots at the feet of the suspicious figure.
- The soldier is allowed to shoot toward the center of the figure to kill only in case the figure endangers the soldier or another person, clearly and immediately.
Are those rules of engagement or an improv class?
When a soldier fires at a suspicious figure and aims at its feet, he would likely hit it in the stomach or the head. Suspicious figures notoriously move around, change positions, and duck – and such a kill could effectively end the life of the reserves soldier as he knew it.
By the way, when the reservists get it together and manage to arrest an illegal infiltrator, the common protocol is to hold the detainees for six hours, after which they are released into PA territory, to come back and try it again the next day.
