Ex-Israeli solider tells of inhumane tactics

The alleged humanity and consideration shown by Israel towards Palestinians is in contrast to a conversation I had with an ex-Israeli soldier.

He said that he was appalled, as a soldier, at the cruel and barbaric treatment of the army in its dealings with Palestinians.

He said he was trained to be confrontational, aggressive and provocative, particularly at check-points of which there are some 600.

He said the army is a tool for the “colonial settlers” who are subvented by the state and encouraged, in every way, to forcibly evict Palestinian families in the West Bank.

He said the Palestinians were a people without any rights or recognition by the Israeli state.

The army is trained to treat all Palestinians, irrespective of age or gender, as terrorists and when it has driven them to irrational acts in despair it arrests them.

That is why there are 12,000 Palestinians permanently in prison, mostly without a trial.

The ex-soldier, who now lives in London, sees the expulsion of all non-Jews from the occupied territories as the only solution that will be acceptable to the Israeli authorities.

Daniel Teegan

Pairc na fánna

Union Hall.

Co. Cork