Advocate of war crimes to head IDF enquiry

By Moshé Machover – 10 June 2010

According to a YNET report of 7 June, 2010, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi has appointed Maj-Gen (ret.) Giora Eiland to head “external inquest into deadly raid of Gaza flotilla”.

This is an excellent choice. Gen. Eiland is the main author of the Dahiya Doctrine of “disproportionate response”, which calls for “the wholesale destruction of the military, government and civilian infrastructure of the enemy entity”.

As quoted by New York Times, 19 January 2009:

The Israeli theory of what it tried to do here [in Gaza, 2008-9] is summed
up in a Hebrew phrase heard across Israel and throughout the military in the past weeks: “baal habayit hishtageya,” or “the boss has lost it.” It evokes the image of a madman who cannot be controlled.

“This phrase means that if our civilians are attacked by you, we are not going to respond in proportion but will use all means we have to cause you such damage that you will think twice in the future,” said Giora Eiland, a former national security adviser.

See also Le Monde Diplomatique of 2 February 2009

The complete IOA coverage of the Gaza Flotilla

All IOA commentaries by Moshé Machover

Tagged as: Gaza Flotilla, IDF/war crimes, international-law, Matzpen, Moshé Machover