- JERUSALEM (Xinhuanet) --
Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz said on Tuesday that he would appeal
against the High Court of Justice's ruling to ban the use of Palestinian
civilians by the army as "human shields" in operations against
suspected militants.
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- Local newspaper Ha'aretz quoted Mofaz as saying that
he would stand before the justices to present his arguments which he said
would justify continuing the use of "human shields".
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- The Israeli army have used Palestinian civilians as "shields"
during military operations to search houses thought to be booby-trapped
or enter homes of suspected Palestinian militants inadvance of Israeli
soldiers who sought to arrest the suspects.
-
- Last week, a three-judge High Court of Justice panel
ruled that the use of "human shields" was illegal and violated
the international law.
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- The ruling came in response to a petition filed by seven
human rights groups.
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- Following the court's decision, the Israel Defense Forces
said it had forbidden the use of Palestinians as "human shields"against
possible Palestinian militant attacks or as hostages, but did not rule
out using "human shields" which can help avoid "greater
damage to local residents, to soldiers and to property." Enditem
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