HindustanTimes.com

Thursday, September 25, 2003

Israeli pilots refuse to carry out airstrikes on Palestinian militants

Associated Press
Jerusalem, September 25

In what could deal a major blow to military morale a group of Israeli Air
Force pilots on Wednesday refused to carry out air strikes in Palestinian
territories, calling them illegal and immoral.

In their petition the pilots wrote, "We, veteran and active pilots,.... are
opposed to carrying out the illegal and immoral attack orders of the sort
that Israel carries out in the territories." They added, "We are refusing to
continue to attack innocent civilians."

The Wednesday declaration by 27 pilots, who are revered in Israel as the
country's highest quality citizens, also reinforced a small but vocal
movement among soldiers who refuse to serve in the West Bank and Gaza Strip,
where three years of Israeli-Palestinian violence shows no sign of ending.
Meanwhile, reacting angrily Air Force commander Maj Gen Dan Halutz, accused
the pilots of making "cynical use of political ideology". He also criticised
the pilots for not venting their grievances through the proper chain of
command.

At issue are the frequent Israeli air strikes aimed at killing Palestinian
militants in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Israel calls the operations
"targeted killings", but Palestinians and human rights groups criticise them
as assassinations, noting that innocent civilians have often been killed.
In recent months, Israel has used air force helicopters to hunt and attack
political leaders of the militant Hamas, responsible for most of the suicide
bombings that have killed hundreds of Israelis.

In a September 7 air strike, Israel tried to kill Sheik Ahmed Yassin and
other top Hamas leaders, but they escaped without serious injury.
The pilots' protest comes after about 500 Israeli reserve soldiers have
chosen prison over military service in the Palestinian territories, claiming
that Israel's occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip is illegal.

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