Prominent American lawyer Alan Dershowitz, in a special interview with i24NEWS on Thursday, criticized the initiative by Otzma Yehudit chairman Itamar Ben Gvir to change the rules of engagement for IDF soldiers.
Ben Gvir, who is to become National Security Minister following his party’s coalition agreement with the Likud, is pushing for open-fire regulations to be relaxed to allow soldiers to shoot anyone representing a "potential threat."
“If Ben Gvir’s rule ever came into effect, Israel would be indicted and convicted, and its soldiers would be indicted and convicted by the international court for applying a different set of standards and principles based on race and ethnicity. Very few people can defend that argument, I can certainly not defend that argument,” Dershowitz told i24NEWS on Thursday.
“It’s just basically wrong,” he added, echoing fears that the initiative will be used mostly against Palestinian Arabs who attack Israeli soldiers.
MK Gadi Eizenkot (National Unity) recently criticized Ben Gvir’s call to change the rules of engagement, telling Channel 12 News, "I am concerned by the lack of humility, and by the shots he fires in all directions, without learning the challenges."
"The rules of engagement are one example; I do not think there is a problem there. I am very disturbed by these two appointments, I think that these two people are not experienced and also have problematic world views, and if they intend to implement what they promised to - the nation of Israel has a tough period ahead," he added.
A report on the weekend indicated that Ben Gvir was furious with Netanyahu over what he described as a "a U-turn" by Netanyahu on the issue of the change in the rules of engagement.