“The Israeli police will be authorized to shoot to kill demonstrators”, this is what a French publication shared several hundred times on X states.
In the context of the war between Hamas and Israel, the Israeli government is reportedly in the process of adopting a law that would allow police officers to “shoot to kill demonstrators who block roads during hostilities.” »
The publication also indicates that if the text comes into force, “it will only take an order from a superior officer to fire live ammunition at the protesting police officers”.
Information relayed by several Israeli media
According to several recognized Israeli media outlets, including a public news channel, the government must indeed examine a law that would authorize the police to fire live ammunition at demonstrators in certain situations.
The Israeli public broadcaster Kan 11 notably broadcast television stories on this subject, stating that “the government will authorize live fire on demonstrators blocking the roads in an emergency” as we can read in the caption of L’excerpt shared on Thursday October 26.
The presenter on set elaborates: “After having published here [dans l’émission] news that police were encouraging live fire against roadblocks, in emergencies and against troublemakers, tonight, Suleiman Maswadeh [nom du journaliste], you announce that in the shadow of the war, the government is now encouraging this approach. » The journalist then explains that this resolution “should be approved on Sunday” by the government.
A proposal already discussed before the Hamas offensive
On October 3, before the Hamas offensive of the 7th, the channel had already reported the existence of such a proposal: “The police are promoting live ammunition in the event of road closures and unrest – in preparation for an operation such as Guardian of the Walls [nom de l’opération israélienne visant à « rétablir la sécurité et d’assurer la sûreté d’Israël et de ses civils » à la suite de la crise de 2021]. »
The next day, Wednesday October 4, the channel published an article relating the reactions of the Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben Gvir (classified on the extreme right) to the “disclosure” of this information: “It should be easier for the police to shoot those who threaten their lives, the fire opening procedures limit the action of our police officers. »
The Israeli online newspaper The Times of Israel also published this Friday, October 27 an article whose headline reads: “Cabinet should authorize police use of live fire against protesters blocking roads in multi-front war.” The War Cabinet was created by Benjamin Netanyahu and one of the main opposition leaders to direct military operations since the Hamas offensive.
Based on information from the Kan 11 channel, the newspaper reports that these new measures would allow the police to “fire live ammunition against Israeli citizens who block roads or entrances to cities during a “war on several fronts”. “Police will only need the approval of a senior officer before opening fire under the relaxed rules,” The Times of Israel explains.
In the past, Israeli forces have repeatedly used firearms to shoot Palestinian protesters, as reported by French media. Humanity, Franceinfo Or Releaseand the international press The Guardian or Sky News (United Kingdom).