Amid a period of increased attacks against Israeli security forces and civilians throughout areas of Yehuda and Shomron, IDF Central District Commander Major-General Roni Numa has issued new ‘open fire’ orders for forces operating in those areas. The new orders are intended to reduce the number of “Palestinian wounded” and pertain to the use of opening fire with live ammunition against Arab rioters.

The news orders were released on Tuesday, 26 Menachem Av, thereby amending the previous orders, once again towards reducing injuries among those who confront and attack Israeli forces on a daily basis. Soldiers are not permitted to use live ammunition if attacked with rocks or even firebombs unless they feel that they are in imminent life-threating danger. While such a decision is subjective, and often one has milliseconds to make such a call, the orders are written in an ambiguous fashion, thereby leaving soldiers open to disciplinary or legal action should the media following an incident influence or compel politicians to instruct military commanders to file charges against a soldier. In the past, soldiers were permitted to use “reasonable measures” to stop rock or firebomb attackers, once again using ambiguous terminology. Under the new orders, soldiers are instructed to use other means to try to stop and/or apprehend attackers. As some soldiers responding to the news put it, “we are sitting ducks and being hung out to dry”, well aware of the precarious situation they must address daily.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)