Yet another broad "hint" from the army to the courts that their recent rulings may cost Jewish lives. IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Moshe Yaalon told the Cabinet today that the demolition of terrorist homes and the threat of deportation of terrorist family members have had a significant effect on would-be terrorists and/or their families. Yaalon said that several suicide terrorists have changed their minds, or have had their minds changed for them by their families, since the army started these policies. The Supreme Court has blocked several house demolitions and the deportation of three Arab terrorist siblings; it may issue a final ruling on the latter case tomorrow.
In yet another blow at IDF anti-terror activities, Supreme Court Justice Tova Strassberg-Cohen issued a restraining order against the IDF's use of what is called the "neighbor procedure." She gave the army seven days to respond to the restraining order.
The "neighbor procedure" involves surrounding the house of a terrorist suspect, then having an Arab neighbor go to the house and attempt to convince the suspect to give himself up. The assumption is that the neighbor, who speaks the language and knows the suspect, will have better success in his efforts than Israeli soldiers. Last week, however, the neighbor was shot and killed by the suspect, Nasser Jarar - even though the latter was warned via loudspeaker that his neighbor was approaching. This prompted Arab and Israeli civil-rights groups to demand an end to the procedure.
Col. (res.) Moshe Hager told Israel Television last week that the procedure had been used safely many thousands of times in the past. "It actually saves Arab lives," he said, "because if we cannot catch the suspects, then we have to drop bombs on them, which can accidentally kill neighboring civilians, as happened with Shehadeh recently." Hager said that Israel's ethical imperative is to do whatever it has to in order to fight terrorists.
IDF bulldozers destroyed three illegally-built Arab houses this afternoon near Eli (35 kilometers north of Jerusalem) - but not the one from which were fired the terrorist shots that killed Avi Vilensky and his wife Avital two weeks ago. Local Jewish residents say they will take over the offending house for a third time if the army does not raze it. On the two previous occasions, the residents agreed to leave of their own volition after the army promised to raze the building.
In yet another blow at IDF anti-terror activities, Supreme Court Justice Tova Strassberg-Cohen issued a restraining order against the IDF's use of what is called the "neighbor procedure." She gave the army seven days to respond to the restraining order.
The "neighbor procedure" involves surrounding the house of a terrorist suspect, then having an Arab neighbor go to the house and attempt to convince the suspect to give himself up. The assumption is that the neighbor, who speaks the language and knows the suspect, will have better success in his efforts than Israeli soldiers. Last week, however, the neighbor was shot and killed by the suspect, Nasser Jarar - even though the latter was warned via loudspeaker that his neighbor was approaching. This prompted Arab and Israeli civil-rights groups to demand an end to the procedure.
Col. (res.) Moshe Hager told Israel Television last week that the procedure had been used safely many thousands of times in the past. "It actually saves Arab lives," he said, "because if we cannot catch the suspects, then we have to drop bombs on them, which can accidentally kill neighboring civilians, as happened with Shehadeh recently." Hager said that Israel's ethical imperative is to do whatever it has to in order to fight terrorists.
IDF bulldozers destroyed three illegally-built Arab houses this afternoon near Eli (35 kilometers north of Jerusalem) - but not the one from which were fired the terrorist shots that killed Avi Vilensky and his wife Avital two weeks ago. Local Jewish residents say they will take over the offending house for a third time if the army does not raze it. On the two previous occasions, the residents agreed to leave of their own volition after the army promised to raze the building.