Some Israeli soldiers complained of not being allowed to wear their helmets and bullet-proof vests

By Yasser El-Banna, IOL Gaza Correspondent

GAZA, December 4 (IslamOnline.net) – Israeli soldiers serving in special units operating inside the occupied Palestinian territories have accused the army command of using them as mobile decoys to discover Palestinian resistance fighters.

Soldiers knew they were being deployed to sniff out saboteurs [resistance fighters] but had no idea the army would use them as easy-to-hit targets with no helmets, bullet-proof vests or protection, the Israeli Maarev newspaper reported Wednesday, December 3, quoting furious Israeli soldiers.

One Israeli soldier recalled that after joining such operations, he was dumbfounded to know they were obliged to take off military uniform and bullet-proof vests.

He asserted they were ordered to disguise in civvies so as not to be recognized and to travel back and forth on roads frequented by settlers.

A second Israeli soldier lashed out at the army commander who put they lives on line, hoping the soldiers would only be attack with stones and Molotov cocktails.

He asserted that when they came under fire while traveling in civilian cars it was very difficult to fireback, especially with clear orders to conceal their weapons not to be seen from the car windows.

The soldiers stressed that while settlers were allowed to use helmets, they were stripped of such protection.

Another soldier complained they were totally exposed to possible Palestinian fire as if they were in a shooting field.

Instead of traveling in armored vehicles, the soldiers travel in civilian cars with no protection, he added, asserting that some soldiers abandoned the unit after their first day.

Maarev underlined that members of such Israeli special units were fearful for their own lives during such operations.

They are exposed to real danger, particularly while moving in civilian vehicles they were not bullet-proof, added the Israeli daily.

Friendly Fire Fear

Israeli soldiers were not only feeling exposed to Palestinian resistance fighters, but were more terrified of being target of friendly fire.

We were worried lest other Israeli military troops should think we were Palestinian fighters and open fire at us, one soldier told the Israeli daily.

He maintained there was no kind of coordination with other Israeli units on the ground and at military checkpoints.

We were afraid they would detect our concealed weapons and mistaken us for Palestinian fighters, he added.

Commenting on the soldiers’ complaints, an Israeli army officer told Maarev said soldiers were moving in civilian cars to jump on Palestinian stone-throwers, which can not be achieved if using military vehicles.