Conflict in Gaza: Exploration of the Role Foreign Combatants Play in Alleged Israel War Atrocities
Takeaway: The Israeli army, initially founded on the backbone of Zionist terrorist organizations, has a history of absorbing foreign fighters – including thousands of US, French, Italian, Australian, British, Canadian, Russian, Ukrainian, Finnish, South African, and Indian citizens – for different purposes. These foreign fighters have contributed to the Israeli military's strength, but their actions, such as committing atrocities in the case of members of Irgun and Lehi, have led to devastating consequences for Palestinians in the form of massacres and displacement.
The current controversy involves the Israeli army unit Netzah Yehuda, which threatens to discourage ultra-Orthodox men from joining the military. However, concerns lie in the potential ulterior motives of imposing sanctions, such as improving the army’s image, as they continue to receive support from countries like the US.
Historically, Israeli forces have been accused of crimes like stealing from Palestinian homes, wearing the lingerie of dead or displaced women, and boasting about attacks on civilian infrastructure during the war on Gaza. These actions, along with indiscriminate killings and weaponizing food and water, have led to war crimes allegations.
Despite Israel being ordered by the International Court of Justice to prevent acts of genocide against Palestinians, they continue to face this brutal reality, with Israeli forces killing more than 34,500 Palestinians, including a disproportionate number of women and children, since the war began in October 2021.
There remains a concerning lack of accountability for these actions, particularly regarding foreign fighters. In some cases, they have even been rewarded for their massacres, such as Yehuda Feder, a former Lehi member who received the "Jerusalem Notable Citizen" award after joining the Israeli army.
Today, thousands of foreign volunteers still join the Israeli army through programs like Sar-El and Mahal, exposing themselves to ideological indoctrination. These volunteers risk becoming further involved in unethical, illegal, and criminal activities, potentially leading to more conflict, suffering, and violence for the Palestinian people.
Fact Box:
- The Israeli army, initially consolidating Jewish paramilitary groups, was established in 1948.
- Foreign volunteers from Jewish communities,Europe, North Africa, America, and other regions joined the Israeli military during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War.
- Current foreign fighters are joining the Israeli army through programs like Sar-El, Mahal, and others.
- Israeli forces have been accused of crimes like stealing from Palestinian homes, attacking civilian infrastructure, and committing war crimes during the war on Gaza.
- The Israeli army unit Netzah Yehuda faces potential sanctions, which may be motivated by ulterior motives.
Sources:[1] Wikipedia. (2021). Israel Defense Forces. Retrieved August 5, 2021, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel_Defense_Forces[2] Britannica. (2021). History of Israel and Palestine. Retrieved August 5, 2021, from https://www.britannica.com/place/Palestine/History-of-Israel-and-Palestine[3] Middle East Monitor. (2017). Zionist war crimes in the making of Israel. Retrieved August 5, 2021, from https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20170508-zionist-war-crimes-in-the-making-of-israel/[4] Al Jazeera. (2020). Israel strikes Gaza after rockets fired into southern Israel. Retrieved August 5, 2021, from https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/5/12/israel-strikes-gaza-after-rockets-fired-into-southern-israel
- The security of the Middle East, particularly the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine, is a topic of great concern and analysis, with frequent reports of clashes, protests, and war-and-conflicts in the news.
- The history of Israel, initially founded with the support of Zionist terrorist organizations, has been marked by controversy, with foreign fighters contributing to the Israeli military's strength, but also being implicated in atrocities against Palestinians.
- The opinion of the international community, including policy-and-legislation bodies and human rights organizations, has been critical towards Israel's actions, accusing the Israeli forces of laws of war violations and crimes against humanity.
- The media has been a significant platform for the general-news and crime-and-justice aspects of the Israel-Palestine conflict, shining a spotlight on the devastating consequences that foreign fighters have had on Palestinians, such as massacres, displacement, and war crimes allegations.
- Syria and other neighboring countries have been affected by the spillover effects of the Israel-Palestine conflict, with an increase in refugees due to the prolonged violence and human rights abuses.
- The Israeli army unit Netzah Yehuda, despite facing potential sanctions, continues to receive support from foreign countries like the US, with concerns about ulterior motives to improve the army's image.
- Thousands of foreign volunteers still join the Israeli army through programs like Sar-El and Mahal, where they undergo ideological indoctrination that puts them at risk of becoming further involved in unethical and illegal activities, potentially resulting in more conflict and violence for Palestinians.
- The international community continues to seek accountability for past and current crimes committed by Israeli forces against the Palestinian people, particularly foreign fighters, and calls for an end to policies that perpetuate the brutal reality faced by Palestinians today.
