- Title: Israeli rights group accuses military of whitewashing soldiers' abuses
- Date: 25th May 2016
- Summary: JERUSALEM (MAY 24, 2016) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF REPORTERS ATTENDING BRIEFING FOR THE RELEASE OF B'TSELEM NEW REPORT REPORTER TAKING NOTES MEDIA BRIEFING IN PROGRESS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF B'TSELEM, HAGAI EL-AD SPEAKING DURING MEDIA BRIEFING (SOUNDBITE) (English) EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF B'TSELEM, HAGAI EL-AD, SAYING: "We have come to the difficult conclusion that this is a system that eventually establishes whitewash time and time and time again and our work in trying to establish accountability through it is not only not successful, but also continues to lend credibility to a system that does not deserve it. Based on this work, we came to the conclusion that we have in our responsibility with hope of pursuing human rights and accountability to share this conclusion with the public and also to decide to stop filing complaints to the Military Advocate General, to the Military Investigate Police unit and also to call on the Palestinian public to do the same." MORE OF MEDIA BRIEFING VARIOUS OF REPORTER TYPING ON LAPTOP
- Embargoed: 9th June 2016 16:16
- Keywords: Israel Palestinians NGO B'Tselem soldiers
- Location: JERUSALEM
- City: JERUSALEM
- Country: Israel
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace
- Reuters ID: LVA0014JB4QX3
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: B'Tselem, one of Israel's leading human rights groups, said in an 80-page report released on Wednesday (May 25) it would no longer refer complaints of abuse carried out by Israeli soldiers to Israeli military courts because the system was biased and set up to whitewash cases.
The group, which has monitored Israel's occupation of the West Bank and incidents of violence and abuse by soldiers against Palestinians for 25 years, said the military's legal system was too narrowly defined and served to protect its own.
"We have come to the difficult conclusion that this is a system that eventually establishes whitewash time and time and time again and our work in trying to establish accountability through it is not only not successful, but also continues to lend credibility to a system that does not deserve it. Based on this work, we came to the conclusion that we have in our responsibility with hope of pursuing human rights and accountability to share this conclusion with the public and also to decide to stop filing complaints to the Military Advocate General, to the Military Investigate Police unit and also to call on the Palestinian public to do the same," B'Tselem Executive Director, Hagai El-Ad said.
The Israel Defense Forces said in a statement the picture presented by B'Tselem was inaccurate and did not reflect reality.
"The IDF is committed to the rule of law and its legal system acts with utmost professionalism and thoroughness," it said. "The IDF thoroughly checks and investigates any and all claims of misconduct including those from B'Tselem and many other organisation, and will continue to act transparently in order to arrive at the truth."
B'Tselem, one of whose workers in the West Bank city of Hebron captured video footage in March of an Israeli soldier fatally shooting a wounded Palestinian attacker, said it had analysed 739 cases it referred to the Military Advocate General between 2000 and 2015.
In a quarter of those cases, it said no investigation was launched, while in 343 the investigation was closed without further action. Only 25 led to charges being brought, while 132 remain open in some capacity. Forty-four have been lost.
The cases involved allegations of fatal shootings, injuries, beatings, damage to property and the use of Palestinians as human shields.
B'Tselem said the military justice system created the impression of action, with a multi-step process that allowed government officials to say that something was being done. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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