‘Israel’ orders its soldiers to open fire at Palestinian stone-throwers
Occupied Palestine (QNN)- Israeli Occupation War Minister Benny Gantz has loosened open fire regulations for Israeli forces, allowing them to open fire on Palestinian stone-throwers even after the act.
According to Israeli Public Broadcaster, Kan, Gantz has released new rules of engagement which allow Israeli occupation soldiers to open fire at Palestinians who throw stones, even after the act as they are running away.
פרסום ראשון | צה"ל משנה את מדיניות הפתיחה באש בשטחים – יאפשר לירות במיידי אבנים גם כשהם נמלטיםhttps://t.co/gzxP5fPbXb@roysharon11 #חדשותהערב pic.twitter.com/N72VL1Gscr
— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) December 19, 2021
The rules also allow Israeli occupation soldiers to fire at Palestinians stealing live ammunition and weaponry, Israeli Walla news website reported.
“This is especially relevant, as 70 per cent of all criminal shootings in Israel are carried out with stolen military weapons,” Walla said.
Kan said that the rules also apply at the Egyptian border, which deals with cross-border smuggling.
Israeli forces have killed thousands of Palestinians in the Occupied Territories over the years, and several international human rights groups say Israeli forces have used excessive force in attacking and subduing Palestinians.
“This policy [opening fire] reflects deep disregard for Palestinian lives and property and enables the continued use of lethal force, crucial to enabling Israel to retain its violent control over millions of Palestinians,” said Israeli human rights group, B’Tselem.
According to the open-fire regulations, live ammunition may be fired in two situations only.
First, shooting to kill is permitted when members of the forces or other individuals are in life-threatening danger. Even then, the use of firearms is permitted only if there is no other way to avert the danger and only against the assailants themselves.
Second, members of the forces may only shoot at a person’s legs, as the last phase in an attempt to arrest the person in question, only after they have given warning and fired in the air, and only when no one else is in danger of getting hurt.
