Israel’s Army Turns Cautious on Criticism

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Israel’s Army Turns Cautious on Criticism​

The Israeli military isn’t usually in the business of revealing classified information. Yet in a briefing with reporters last week, officers passed around aerial photos of Hizbullah positions in south Lebanon, diagrams of their bunkers, and lists of the weapons the Islamic group has received lately from Syria and Iran—including 40,000 short- and medium-range missiles. The presentation seemed aimed at warning Hizbullah that Israel takes the buildup seriously and might, under certain circumstances, attack the sites. But there was also a more subtle objective. By disclosing evidence that Hizbullah is hiding weapons in civilian centers, including mosques and hospitals, Israel appeared to be preempting the kind of criticism it sustained over its war on Gaza last year, when the U.N.-sponsored Goldstone commission accused the country of war crimes.

The briefing says something about the effect of the Goldstone commission on Israel over the past year. On the one hand, Israeli leaders have rejected its very legitimacy, citing the U.N.’s record of bias against the Jewish state and accusing the eminent South African jurist who headed the investigation, Richard Goldstone, of opportunism. On the other hand, government and military officials have studied the 600-page report the commission issued last September as a guide to the boundaries Israel must confine itself to, if it wants to avoid international isolation. Particularly in the military, there are increasing signs that the Goldstone report is helping shape decisions and even doctrine. In one example, military officials last month issued new rules of engagement for warfare in populated areas. Drawing on lessons from the Gaza war, in which hundreds of Palestinian civilians were killed, the document suggests ways of evacuating noncombatants before the shooting gets underway.

The changes don’t necessarily mean Israelis have come around to accepting the international criticism as fair. Much of it, including the outrage over Israel’s raid last month on a Gaza-bound flotilla that left nine dead, is perceived in Israel as evidence of a double standard. But there is a growing awareness that ignoring the criticism has consequences. Last week an Army spokesman announced indictments and disciplinary action against several soldiers in connection with attacks on civilians during the Gaza war. Better late than never.

Israeli Army More Cautious on Criticism - Newsweek