Q&A: Using Palestinians as Human Shields
Using Palestinians as Human Shields
Question
Hello Rabbi. A few weeks ago, Haaretz published an investigative report (for the sake of discussion, let’s assume that all the details I mention here are indeed correct) saying that during the war, a procedure called the “Mosquito Procedure” was created in the IDF infantry battalions. The meaning of this procedure is that at times the IDF captures Palestinians in Gaza in order to use them as a kind of human shield; that is, they are sent into places where there is concern about explosives / where there are terrorists, so that they absorb the fire and not our soldiers. They are not drafted into the army and receive no payment, and in practice they have no basic rights at all. They are completely dependent on our goodwill. Does the Rabbi think this is moral, and is there any halakhic problem with it?
Answer
In my opinion there is no problem at all, so long as there is no other way to deal with the matter without casualties. See my article on Operation Defensive Shield.
Discussion on Answer
Who said there’s a difference? Are you pitting one person against another?!
Just to clarify that this is forbidden under the law, and in the past indictments were already filed against soldiers who carried out this procedure
What is the difference between this and the “Neighbor Procedure” that was prohibited by the High Court of Justice?