By Vita Bekker
The National, 22-11-2010
The site, which "Israeli" media reported was initiated by anonymous British activists and hosted by a US-based internet service, dubbed the 200 soldiers listed as "war criminals".
The list also included the home addresses, birth dates and national ID numbers of many of the "Israelis", who range from low-ranking soldiers to senior officers.
A new website listing names and photographs of dozens of "Israeli" soldiers involved in the onslaught launched by "Israel" in Gaza in late 2008 appears to have embarrassed the "Israeli" army.
The site, which "Israeli" media reported was initiated by anonymous British activists and hosted by a US-based internet service, dubbed the 200 soldiers listed as "war criminals". The list also included the home addresses, birth dates and national ID numbers of many of the "Israelis", who range from low-ranking soldiers to senior officers.
The list also included the home addresses, birth dates and national ID numbers of many of the "Israelis", who range from low-ranking soldiers to senior officers.
A new website listing names and photographs of dozens of "Israeli" soldiers involved in the onslaught launched by "Israel" in Gaza in late 2008 appears to have embarrassed the "Israeli" army.
The site, which "Israeli" media reported was initiated by anonymous British activists and hosted by a US-based internet service, dubbed the 200 soldiers listed as "war criminals". The list also included the home addresses, birth dates and national ID numbers of many of the "Israelis", who range from low-ranking soldiers to senior officers.
The list seemed to be part of a growing effort by activists, both in "Israel" and abroad, to pursue the pressing of war crime charges under the principle of universal jurisdiction against "Israeli" soldiers who participated in the attack. The three-week offensive launched by "Israel" in December 2008 resulted in the killings of about 1,400 Gazans, most of them civilians.The disclosure of the troops' details also appeared to expose the "Israeli" military's growing difficulty in restricting such information from being revealed in the internet era, despite the army's technology-savvy image. Data such as soldiers' home addresses is not typically readily available to the public in "Israel".
The "Israeli" military on Friday condemned the website, saying the data was published "without any factual basis whatsoever". It played down the possibility that the publication may endanger troops, saying the information "poses no real threat to those whose names ended up on the list". But the response of some senior army officials indicated otherwise. Avi Zamir, the head of the army's manpower division, called the details' publication a "grave event" and pledged to "support the soldiers and officers" listed.
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High-profile "Israeli" politicians or army officers have been increasingly pulling out of visits to European countries such as Britain and Belgium, where legal action has been weighed against those involved in the Gaza operation, for fear of arrest over war crimes allegations under universal jurisdiction laws. However, no cases have gone ahead.
Nevertheless, in January, the "Israeli" military put off a visit by a team of its commanders to London over fears that they risked being detained. Such concerns were one of the key issues discussed during a visit by the UK's foreign secretary to "Israel" earlier this month.
The website drew wide coverage in "Israel" because it was unusual in that it listed not only the army's top-ranking officers, but also commanders of battalions, companies and platoons and even conscripted soldiers. "From now on, European travel may entail some risk even to a young platoon commander from the paratroopers' brigade, who may have in the meantime been released from the army and was considering studying abroad," wrote Amos Harel, a commentator in the Haaretz newspaper.
Nevertheless, in January, the "Israeli" military put off a visit by a team of its commanders to London over fears that they risked being detained. Such concerns were one of the key issues discussed during a visit by the UK's foreign secretary to "Israel" earlier this month.
The website drew wide coverage in "Israel" because it was unusual in that it listed not only the army's top-ranking officers, but also commanders of battalions, companies and platoons and even conscripted soldiers. "From now on, European travel may entail some risk even to a young platoon commander from the paratroopers' brigade, who may have in the meantime been released from the army and was considering studying abroad," wrote Amos Harel, a commentator in the Haaretz newspaper.
"Beyond the threat of arrest, a publication of this nature may trigger some very unpleasant responses with which "Israelis" may have to contend."
The site, which had been called "Israeli war criminals", was removed by its hosting service on Friday because of an unspecified breach in its terms of service, Haaretz reported. Nevertheless, before its removal, the information it had gathered - written in both Hebrew and English - was rapidly replicated on other blogs and websites and remains available. "Israeli" media reported that the list was riddled with inaccuracies, including listing soldiers who never participated in the Gaza assault. But the reports also said that the apparently updated personal data indicate that the website's creators collaborated with "Israelis", possibly even soldiers, in gathering the details.
The introduction to the list says the information came from an anonymous source who was "presumably" serving in the "Israeli" military. "The people listed here held positions of command at the time of the attack," the activists wrote.
"Therefore, not only did they perform on behalf of a murderous state mechanism but actively encouraged other people to do the same."
According to Haaretz, even the names of officers who replaced wounded battalion commanders during the war were included on the list, indicating its gatherers' "considerable proficiency".
In case you missed it:
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According to Haaretz, even the names of officers who replaced wounded battalion commanders during the war were included on the list, indicating its gatherers' "considerable proficiency".
In case you missed it:
Gilad Atzmon: ‘Israelis are subject to Palestinians’ kindness’
Gilad Atzmon: 200 Israeli War Criminals Better Hope For Palestinian Amnesty
"War criminals" leak strikes at heart of Israeli society
Named Israeli war criminals in Gaza assault of 12 Dec ‘08 – 18 Jan ‘09
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