re: Israel appropriates more West Bank land for probable settlements

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The tales of "human shields" is a load of horseshite, too.

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Gallagher Fenwick doesn't think so.

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In a report published Thursday, human rights group B'Tselemsaid that the Israel Defense Forces is still using Palestinian citizens as 'human shields' during dangerous operations.

According to the report, the IDF has, on a number of occasions, violated the High Court of Justice ruling against the use of the 'neighbor procedure,' whereby neighbors of wanted Palestinians are forced to go into the wanted man's house ahead of troops, in case it is booby-trapped.

The human rights organization says that international humanitarian law obliges the army to remove citizens from areas of conflict and to protect them from danger during army operations. "Even if there was no apparent danger to the Palestinian who was used as a 'human shield,' the method is completely illegal," the group says.

B'Tselem also reports that the IDF tries to conceal the violations of the court order. The organization says that it has drawn the army's attention to four such cases, but the IDF has not responded to their claims and has not taken steps against those involved.

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Majed was among dozens of men, women and children who were sheltering in a basement when the soldiers forced him to open a bag at gunpoint, according to the boy's affidavit, given to Defence for Children International (DCI), which filed a complaint against the Israeli army.

"I thought they would kill me," Majed said. "I became very scared and wet my pants. I could not shout or say anything because I was too afraid ... I opened the bag as he pointed his weapon directly at me. I emptied the bag on the floor. It contained money and papers. I looked at him and he was laughing."

The boy said he was grabbed by the hair and slapped across the face by a soldier when he could not open a second bag. "He then shot at the bag ... I thought he shot at me, so I shouted and put my hands on my head ... Another soldier said: 'Go to your mother.' I ran to my mother and hid in her arms. 'I wet my pants,' I said to her. 'It's fine,' she said."

The child has been traumatised since the incident, according to his family, and has been demanding that the door of their home is locked at all the times.

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