This month's issue of the IDI Terrorism and Democracy Newsletter discusses two recent reports related to Israel's recent military operation in Gaza, which Israel described as a counter-terrorism operation. First, we address the report of Amnesty International on International Humanitarian Law violations committed by both parties to the conflict during Operation Cast Lead; second, we discuss a report authored by Human Rights Watch that focuses on six incidents of missiles launched by drones, which caused the deaths of 29 civilians. While both reports may be criticized for embracing sweeping and less than fully substantiated positions on what constitutes legitimate military targets, they certainly support calls for further investigation of possible violations of International Humanitarian Law by both Israel and Hamas. The third and last item in the newsletter addresses a recent High Court of Justice decision to reject a contempt of court motion brought by Israeli NGOs against the Israeli Prime Minister and head of the Israeli Security Agency for allegedly violating the Court's 1999 judgment, which banned the use of torture in ISA interrogations.
The monthly IDI Israel Terrorism and Democracy Newsletter aims to shed light on some relatively unknown measures and policies adopted by Israel or related to Israel, and to foster discussion of the balance between security interests, on one hand, and democratic principles and human rights, on the other hand. It surveys recent developments in Israeli law and practices that are intended to reduce or repress terrorist threats. IDI believes that a greater knowledge of Israel's experience in this area may be of value to other societies; we also believe that engaging in international and comparative discourse about Israel's experience is valuable to Israeli society.
Terrorism and Democracy Newsletter: Issue No. 7, July 2009