Protesters accuse IDF of tying soldiers' hands after deadly clash
In the wake of the death of IDF soldier Barel Hadaria Shmueli, hundreds of Israeli service members have been demanding the rules for live fire engagement be loosened.
The Israel Defense Forces has released the conclusions of a preliminary investigation into the death of border police officer Barel Hadaria Shmueli, who was shot Aug. 21 during violent clashes that occurred along the border fence with Gaza. The investigation concluded that battle orders and operational preparedness for dealing with demonstrations along the Gaza border were "thorough and comprehensive," and that open-fire policies did not change before or during the incident. Nevertheless, it also determined that the IDF should have deployed its troops and changed its use of force as soon as the mass of demonstrators reached the separation fence. No steps will be taken against the officers involved in the deadly incident.
Around the time the results of the investigation were released on Sept. 3, the head of the Southern Command, Maj. Gen. Eliezer Toledano, paid a condolence call to the soldier’s bereaved family and presented them with these findings. They said that they will not accept “the findings, the conclusions, or the bottom line that no measures will be taken by the high command against any officer whatsoever.”
Confronted with criticism by Shmueli’s family, Bennett said Sept. 4, "The family is allowed everything — our job is to give answers, listen and hug." Addressing the issue again Sept. 5, Bennett said, “I want to send a clear message to those in uniform and all citizens of Israel. I completely back the commanders and soldiers of the IDF. The IDF protects us every day of the year, and it is our job to protect the IDF.” Acknowledging that mistakes might have been committed, Bennett added, “That is how it is when we are fighting an enemy, and we must back the soldiers and commanders, especially when there are mistakes.”
Shmueli’s tragic death seems to have become a political flashpoint and is causing further discord in Israel’s already divided society. A growing protest movement by active IDF troops on social media demands, “Untie our hands!” The protest focuses on the alleged operational failure during the incident and contends that a senior IDF commander prevented troops from protecting themselves even though their lives were in danger. Notably, the IDF’s investigation found these claims to be false.
