Likud's Dahiya Doctrine: what It & Its Implications Are - Truthout Op/Ed

[Hissyspit]

http://www.truth-out.org/opinion/item/25285-the-dahiya-doctrine-state-terrorism-and-a-philosophy-of-war-crime

The Dahiya Doctrine: State Terrorism and a Philosophy of War Crime

Saturday, 02 August 2014 10:31
By Stephen Benavides, Truthout | Op-Ed

What Is the Dahiya Doctrine?

In the 2006 Lebanon War, Israel Defense Force Northern Commander Gadi Eisenkot, now the deputy chief of general staff, recommended and had approved the application of a military strategy that would target and destroy an entire civilian area rather than fight to overtake fortified positions one by one. This was in an effort to minimize IDF casualties while at the same time holding the entire civilian populace accountable for the actions of a few. A move some called revolutionary in modern warfare, the doctrine did away with the effort to distinguish between militant and civilian, using an overwhelming display of force through airstrikes to destroy the entire Lebanese Dahiya quarter.

The strategy itself calls for the deliberate targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure in order to induce suffering and severe distress throughout the targeted population. By targeting indiscriminately, the IDF hopes to deter further military attacks against Israel, destroy its enemies, as well as influence the population to oust the militants seen as the primary target. The IDF has planned on using the strategy since 2008, and is seen as doing so in the current conflict in Gaza based on the increasing number of civilian casualties. The result so far has been the death of more than 1,200 Palestinians, including 241 children and 130 women. Of the estimated death count, more than 70 percent have been identified as innocent civilians. The Dahiya Doctrine amounts to the direct use of state terrorism and is now the functioning military policy of the IDF.

The destruction of locations such as UN Relief and Works Agency shelters, mosques and residences of unaffiliated individuals is at minimum an agreed upon collateral objective in addition to the Hamas tunnel system and the militants themselves.

The IDF argues that it has no other choice because Hamas uses locations such as these to shield military activities, making detection more difficult. After the 2008 Gaza War, the UN deployed a fact-finding mission to conduct an investigation into allegations made by both sides. The UN issued the "Goldstone Report," which said among other things that, "On the basis of the investigations it has conducted, the Mission did not find any evidence to support the allegations that hospital facilities were used by the Gaza authorities or by Palestinian armed groups to shield military activities and that ambulances were used to transport combatants or for other military purposes." One alleged war crime (hiding among the civilian population) does not give rise for the justification of another: the killing of women, children and civilians. Even now, artillery shells struck a second UN shelter resulting in civilian casualties and attacks against a power plant may have killed 15 workers trapped inside and may effectively eliminate electricity for the majority of the population.

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Additional Protocol 1, Article 51 (3) of the Geneva Conventions is designed to provide civilians immunity from attack "unless and for such time as they take a direct part in hostilities." Articles 76 (women) and 77 (children), 15 (civilian medical personnel and religious) and 79 (journalist) provide special protections for each category respectively. Israel is not a signatory to Protocol 1, but surprisingly enough Palestine is after the Palestinian Authority signed the accord on February 4, 2014, even while the United States and Israel opposed the action. In 2009, Palestine gained recognition as a nonmember observer state, and according to Luis Moreno Ocampo, a former International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor, may qualify as a state and gain full status as an ICC member. This would enable Palestine to bring war crimes charges against Israel, under a provision that allows for the charges of crimes committed before gaining state recognition as long as the alleged crimes occurred after the formation of the ICC in 2002.

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STEPHEN BENAVIDES
Stephen Benavides is a policy analyst and union organizer from Dallas, TX. He holds a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of North Texas and has done graduate research in econometrics and economic theory. Follow his twitter at @S_Benavides1.

From Wikileaks Cables:

Wikileaks account Tweeted this earlier:

@wikileaks: Wikileaks cable on #Israel's "Dahiya Doctrine" - deliberate targeting of civilian areas with excessive force #Gaza https://t.co/iGG19hpQ3l/s/Q1Md

https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/08TELAVIV2329_a.html#efmBOyBhT

Office Origin:-- N/A or Blank --
Office Action:-- N/A or Blank -- Archive Status:-- Not Assigned --
From:Israel Tel Aviv Markings:-- Not Assigned --
To:Egypt Cairo | Israel Jerusalem | Joint Chiefs of Staff | Jordan Amman | Lebanon Beirut | National Security Council | Secretary of Defense | Secretary of State | Syria Damascus

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6. (S) Eisenkot labeled any Israeli response to resumed
conflict the "Dahiya doctrine" in reference to the leveled
Dahiya quarter in Beirut during the Second Lebanon War in
2006. He said Israel will use disproportionate force upon
any village that fires upon Israel, "causing great damage and
destruction." Eisenkot made very clear: this is not a
recommendation, but an already approved plan -- from the
Israeli perspective, these are "not civilian villages, they
are military bases." Eisenkot in this statement echoed
earlier private statements made by IDF Chief of General Staff
Gabi Ashkenazi, who said the next fight in Southern Lebanon
would come at a much higher cost for both sides -- and that
the IDF would not hold back.

7. (SBU) Eisenkot stated that Damascus fully understands what
the Israelis did in Dahiya, and that the Israelis have the
capability of doing the same to Syria. He suggested the
possibility of harm to the population has been Hizballah
leader Nasrallah's main constraint, and the reason for the
quiet over the past two years. Eisenkot criticized media
coverage of Nasrallah, arguing it legitimizes and equalizes
Nasrallah as an adversary.

[janlyn]

1. I have always been proud of my mothers side of the family,

even though I do not practice that faith. The resiliency and strength of my great-grandmother has always been an inspiration to me! I can only say I am so glad she is not alive to see what the government of Israel is doing!! As a mother and grandmother my heart breaks for the palestinian mothers who are losing their children in such a terrible way! No mother should have to endure that ever!