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Injury to innocent civilians during combat
During the IDF’s actions over the last two years
in the areas Israel yielded to the Palestinian
Authority – actions taken within the context of
Israel’s war on terrorist organizations, terrorists
and those who dispatch them – civilians have
been hurt, including children.
At times, civilians were inadvertently hurt
because they happened to be in or near areas of
combat. In such cases, Israel has apologized and
expressed its deep sorrow for the loss of innocent
lives.
Never, however, have civilians – men, women or
children – been the deliberate target of these
actions. Never were civilians harmed as part of an
IDF military goal.
Some claim that every act of war in which innocent
people are killed (even when they are killed
inadvertently) is an act of terror, and that consequently
there is no difference between innocent
victims killed in deliberate acts of terror, and
those caught in the crossfire of a military action.
An incident from World War II reveals the absurdity
of this claim. In 1944, the British air force set
out to bomb the Gestapo headquarters in
Copenhagen. UnfORTunately, the bombers missed
their target and hit a hospital instead, killing scores
of children. This was clearly a tragic accident of
war, but under no circumstances can it be viewed
as an act of terror.
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