B'Tselem report: Crowd Control: Israel's Use of Crowd Control ...

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3. The rules and procedures for when to engage with live fire are clearly wordedand also encompass the wide array of possible security situations IDF soldiersmay find themselves in. These rules clearly establish for soldiers how torespond to life threatening situations as well as riots and other disruptions ofpublic order. Additionally, the instructions regarding proper usage of crowddispersal equipment are also clearly worded, organized and detailed. Asupdated instructions are passed from the headquarter-level to the field, theyare adapted for the soldiers in the field, and "responses to specific situations"are included so as to ensure that the soldiers understand what is permittedwith regards to the use of force and the use of the riot control measures.4. It is important to note that the emphasis that the IDF places on the properprocedure for live-fire and proper usage of crowd dispersal equipmentsignificantly reduces the potential for casualties. The IDF emphatically deniesthe claim that IDF soldiers racially discriminate when engaging in crowddispersion in Judea and Samaria or in any other location. The decisionregarding which specific crowd dispersal equipment to use is based purely onsecurity and operational considerations, not on economic or any other typeof consideration.5. In order to deal with violent and illegal riots or other disruptions of publicorder, the IDF utilizes a selection of different equipment to disperse crowdsas well as prevent causalities of any kind. The IDF invests a great deal in orderto acquire as well as develop effective crowd dispersal equipment that willnot harm the rioters; a good example being "Ha'Boesh" or the "skunk"canister. These measures are taken in order to avoid having to employalternative measures.6. By having to draw from incidents which occurred over three years ago ormore, the report, ironically, highlights the success of the IDF's policy ofemphasizing and enforcing strict rules of engagement when dealing with riotcontrol. Furthermore, the report relies on weak evidence, drawing on caseswhich are either no longer relevant or cases which are still currently undercriminal investigation by the IDF. For instance: the data and information usedin the section of the report dealing with rubber bullet usage actually comefrom a B'tselem letter sent over four years ago. Further, the apparent IDFdocument referred to as "Instruction 8, Rules of Engagement for Soldiers inJudea, Samaria and the Gaza Strip, January 2012" [Hebrew] on which theorganization bases some of its claims is not known to the IDF at all.7. It is important to note that B'tselem relies on information regarding officialIDF riot control procedures and proper usage of crowd dispersal mechanismsonly through secondary sources such as the manufacturers' instructionmanual for the crowd dispersal equipment used, IDF documents which haveto come into B'tselem's possession over the past few years, instructions52
issued separately by Israeli police, interviews with commanders, and mediareports. These secondary sources are used because the IDF does not publicizeits riot control procedures due to the procedures' level of classification.8. As a result of B'tselem's reliance on secondary sources, the authors of thereport frequently include inaccuracies and conjectures. The authors' lack ofclarity regarding the issue ultimately led to the portrayal of only a partialpicture in their report.9. In addition, the report is replete with irresponsible conclusions drawn frominstances still under investigation, while ignoring the fact that many of theirclaims regarding specific incidents were closed without the need for anycriminal investigation, while others which were opened for investigationwere subsequently closed due to failure to find evidence indicating criminalaction on behalf of IDF forces, or the refusal of the complainants tocooperate with the investigation (including refusals to provide testimony toinvestigating authorities).In response to the report's specific claims:10. The conclusions of the report rest on faulty factual and normativefoundations. This is especially true regarding the main conclusion of thereport- that the IDF's official Rules of Engagement and safety procedures arenot clearly formulated and that ultimately prevents their properimplementation. Considering that B'tselem does not actually have in itspossession a copy of those official rules and procedures, this conclusion isbaseless.11. All IDF soldiers who use crowd dispersal equipment undergo extensivetraining and preparation aimed at ensuring that they have mastered all therelevant official instructions and procedures.12. We emphasize the fact that allegations of a violation of the Rules ofEngagement are examined thoroughly by the IDF Military Advocate General'sCorps.. Criminal military investigations are opened if it is deemed necessary,in accordance with the IDF Military Advocate General's Corps investigationpolicy. 113. The IDF utilizes an array of less lethal weapons with the aim of not onlyreducing injury to surrounding people but also with the aim of reducing injuryto the rioters themselves. All crowd dispersal equipments used by the IDF hasbeen approved for usage by senior military commanders, as well as by theIDF Medical Corps and the IDF International Law Department. For example,1 This policy has been approved by Israel's Supreme Court sitting as the High Court of Justice. See HCJ9594/03 B'tselem et al v. The Military Advocate GeneraL, 2011 (3) 3136.53
Page 1 and 2: CROWD CONTROLIsrael’s Use of Crow
Page 3 and 4: Researched and written by Sarit Mic
Page 5 and 6: IntroductionCrowd control weapons a
Page 7 and 8: Tear GasTear gas is a chemical irri
Page 9 and 10: Crowd Control Crowd Control Weapons
Page 21 and 22: Rubber-CoatedMetal Bullets 41Rubber
Page 25: Crowd Control Crowd Control Weapons
Page 28 and 29: grenades on the ground, not throw t
Page 30 and 31: seven years, at least 46 Palestinia
Page 32 and 33: that the regulations relating to th
Page 34 and 35: Sniper armed with a Ruger rifle. He
Page 36 and 37: military truck equipped with water
Page 39 and 40: Pepper SprayPepper spray is a conce
Page 43 and 44: Sponge RoundsSponge rounds are a ki
Page 47 and 48: Weapons in LimitedUseSecurity force
Page 49 and 50: ConclusionIn responding to demonstr
Page 51: IDF ResponseCrowd Control Crowd Con
Page 57: B’TSELEM - The Israeli Informatio

B'Tselem report: Crowd Control: Israel's Use of Crowd Control ...

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