|
Trending Topics
|
Breaking What Silence? A Critical Reading of Allegations from "Breaking the Silence"
(NGO Monitor) In Breaking the Silence's (BtS) compilation Occupation of the Territories-Israeli Soldier Testimonies 2000-2010, BtS makes sweeping accusations based on anecdotal, anonymous, and unverifiable accounts of low-level soldiers. Only 30 of 183 testimonies could potentially be independently verified based on the details provided. While responses to terror and legitimate security concerns are dismissed as pretenses to "punish, deter, or tighten control over the Palestinian population," the incidents do not relate to decision-making in the army's higher echelons, but rather refer entirely to allegations of low-level infractions. Many explicitly note that misconduct was opposed and punished by officers. Contrary to BtS' claim that accusations of abuse are not discussed in Israeli society, alleged instances of Israeli army misconduct are widely reported in the Israeli media. Most of the funding for BtS is provided by European governments.