Good afternoon ICD team,
Below is an extract from today’s media indicating a change to the Rules of Engagement (RoE) for the IDF when dealing with protestors in the Palestinian Territories. We have also heard similar from a security
contact of the Embassy.
Grateful if you could confirm if these reports are accurate, and if so the details of this change:
Rules of Engagement Against Stone and Firebomb Throwers Revised
Makor Rishon (online service) by Noam Amir -- After the rules of engagement were revised a month ago to help cope with thieves stealing from IDF bases, last night the IDF once again revised its rules of engagement, this time in dealing
with people who throw stones and firebombs.
According to the new rules of engagement—as reported for the first time by Kan Television News—soldiers will be given permission to shoot at people who throw stones and firebombs even after the fact, as they are fleeing. These orders
will only apply to Judea and Samaria, and shots can only be fired “at the scene of battle”—in other words, immediately after the incident and only in incidents in which the troops’ lives are in danger.
A soldier who fires shots in an incident of this kind will face an operational inquiry and even be questioned under caution, precisely as happened with the Border Police troops who shot the terrorist at Damascus Gate seconds after he
pulled a knife and committed a stabbing attack. The inquiry and the questioning will be held so as to prevent international suits from being filed. The new rules of engagement appear in a document that was circulated in the last few weeks to all IDF combat
troops, but neither the public nor the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee were not informed about the revision until now.
As said, the IDF changed the rules of engagement a month ago primarily as pertains to engaging with thieves stealing guns and ammunition from IDF bases and training grounds.
On first read it looks like the new RoE allows an IDF soldier to shoot a protestor after they have thrown a rock at soldiers and started running away. I will be asked for more details by Canberra as this could
be seen to breach established Laws of Armed Conflict if the reports are accurate.
Grateful for any details available, and happy to visit ICD to discuss in person.
Regards
Brandon A. Wood
Colonel
Australian Defence Attache - Israel
Australian Embassy Tel Aviv
M:+972 (0)54 330 9029
T: +972 (0)3 693 5018
