Yehuda Shaul è indignato. Si affanna a denunciare le violazioni del diritto umanitario e delle convenzioni internazionali il fondatore di Breaking the Silence, l’ong israeliana che, grazie alle testimonianze di soldati e ufficiali disposti a “rompere il silenzio”, squarcia il velo delle motivazioni ufficiali delle operazioni militari contro Gaza e nel resto dei Territori palestinesi occupati. «Un tempo nelle forze armate (israeliane)», ci dice Shaul, ha poco più di 30 anni ma ne dimostra tanti di più, «quando ti spiegavano le regole d’ingaggio, ti dicevano che un uomo armato è diverso da un civile.

Ora non più.

L’ultima operazione contro Gaza, Margine Protettivo, dice che quella distinzione non viene più fatta. A Gaza c’è stato un fuoco indiscriminato contro tutto e tutti, in qualsiasi circostanza, anche senza pericoli o rischi per i soldati». Ieri Yehuda Shaul e Yuli Novak, la presidente di Breaking di Silence, hanno presentato l’ultimo rapporto dell’ong – “This is How We Fought in Gaza” – che contiene oltre 60 testimonianze di militari, tra i quali diversi ufficiali, protagonisti di Margine Protettivo, e denuncia la violazione sistematica delle leggi internazionali a tutela dei civili durante la guerra. «Raccogliendo quelle testimonianze abbiamo compreso perchè a Gaza siano rimasti uccisi oltre 2 mila palestinesi, tra i quali così tanti civili, e perchè siano state causate distruzioni così immense», dice Shaul.

Dalle testimonianze emerge che il principio che ha guidato tutta Margine Protettivo è stato quello del rischio minimo per le forze israeliane, anche a costo di colpire civili innocenti. Nei loro resoconti, i soldati – tutti coperti dall’anonimato – hanno descritto le regole di ingaggio come permissive, addirittura non esistenti, dal momento che di fatto stabilivano che «chiunque fosse stato trovato in una zona militare, o che i militari avevano occupato, non era un civile», ha raccontato un soldato. Un altro militare ha riferito che era dato per scontato che qualunque edificio palestinese venisse utilizzato dalle forze israeliane sarebbe poi stato distrutto dai bulldozer, senza alcun ragione. «Fino alla fine dell’operazione non ci è mai stato detto quale fosse l’utilità operativa di radere al suolo le case», ha spiegato.

Tra le tante testimonianze, alcune sono illuminanti. Tra queste ”Buon giorno, al-Bureij”. Un carrista ricorda che un comandante di una unità di mezzi corazzati gli ordinò di sparare contro il campo profughi e la cittadina di al Bureij, a sud di Gaza city. Quando lui chiese dove puntare il cannone gli fu risposto di scegliere l’edificio che preferiva: più a destra, più a sinistra, in alto o in basso. Poi è partito l’ordine di fuoco con le parole “Buon giorno, al-Bureij” e tutti i carri armati hanno sparato simultaneamente. Nessuno aveva minacciato le forse israeliane, ha precisato il militare. Il fuoco indiscriminato sui centri abitati palestinesi denunciato da Breaking the Silence conferma i risultati dell’inchiesta resi pubblici a fine di aprile dalle Nazioni Unite che accusano Israele di aver colpito sette siti dell’Unrwa (l’agenzia che assiste i rifugiati palestinesi) utilizzati come rifugi per i civili durante “Margine Protettivo”, uccidendo 44 sfollati e ferendone 227. Tutto ciò nonostante la posizione delle strutture dell’Onu – comprese le scuole usate come rifugi – sia regolarmente comunicata all’esercito israeliano ed aggiornata in tempo di guerra.

Scorrendo il rapporto di Breaking the Silence, un altro militare israeliano racconta che il desiderio degli autisti dei carri armati era quello di schiacciare con i cingoli le automobili ai bordi delle strade. «Dopo aver distrutto interi quartieri – si domanda – che differenza faceva un’auto schiacciata in più?». Un tenente della Divisione Gaza da parte sua riporta che «A differenza di precedenti operazioni si poteva sentire che c’era un radicalizzazione nel modo in cui veniva condotta l’intera faccenda. Il discorso era estremamente di destra. Un militare aveva idee molto chiare sui nemici: gli arabi, Hamas…quelli coinvolti e quelli non coinvolti, e il gioco era fatto. Ma il fatto che siano stati descritti come coinvolti piuttosto che come civili e l’indifferenza nei confronti del numero in aumento di morti palestinesi…il livello di distruzione, il modo in cui le cellule militanti e le persone civili sono state considerate come obiettivi e non come esseri viventi, è qualcosa che mi turba. Il discorso era razzista. Il discorso era nazionalista».

Secondo le autorità militari il rapporto di Breaking the Silence sarebbe viziato da «tendenziosità di fondo» dovute a finalità politiche. Inoltre trovano fuori luogo che le testimonianze siano proposte in forma anonima. Per buona parte della stampa israeliana, la vera origine delle sofferenze della popolazione palestinese era Hamas che combatteva dall’interno di zone abitate. Il giornale Yediot Ahronot sostiene che delle oltre 2000 vittime palestinesi, mille erano miliziani del movimento islamico e di altri gruppi armati che agivano in zone affolate di civili. È una tesi ben nota: le forze armate israeliane hanno sparato, cannoneggiato, bombardato, colpito ovunque ma la colpa in ogni caso è solo dei palestinesi.

Tutte le testimonianze video di Breaking the Silence:

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The testifier describes the rules of engagement when entering Palestinians homes during Operation Protective Edge.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSODtfkVijUhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6UyNiCniF0
The testifier describes armor shelling of houses in the sector in which he served during Operation Protective Edge.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kkdu3uYvnMhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eINB-VoPJ54
The testifier describes the work of D9 bulldozers that razed the houses and exposed areas in the sector in which he served during Operation Protective Edge.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wF_p-NxvR_Ehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gcgH8h4U-g
The testifier describes massive shelling of the Gaza Strip during Operation Protective Edge, before the ground invasion, and describes the extensive destruction he witnessed when he entered the Strip.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fygnUpFCJLYhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLa0TswDVIU
The testifier describes the extensive destruction of the neighborhood in which he was stationed during Operation Protective Edge after several days of military activity.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ho-ATwAvqkhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vHKbOkOQ_Y
The testifier describes how armored forces would randomly shoot at suspicious locations during the demolition of Hamas tunnels. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5dlVvsRoy0https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHQtmF3hyI0
The testifier describes the extensive religious presence in the assembly areas during Operation Protective Edge. Habad representatives and others distributed skullcaps and booklets with religious content to soldiers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YScIYMyZAq8https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYpzqZhchg4
The testifier describes routine conduct in houses that were seized during Operation Protective Edge.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGS6KrQOwYwhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNlyfsfVc6g
The testifier describes why he chose to break the silence.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhaZmdnIuXEhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_0BUCuBQxI

 

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Description of the destruction of houses and neighborhoods during Operation Protective Edge.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmXPuab2Z9ohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIDuiIY9yB4
Rules of engagement during  Operation Protective Edge.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVPTttB_Jf4https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZE2XBfwdeg
Description of the destruction of houses and neighborhoods during Operation Protective Edge.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcWtJ-h-iVAhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJO8EGJkK4w
The testifier describes how they calibrated the tank gun at houses and mosques during Operation Protective Edge.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYY4s5DyDnshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PF9Gcn5MVt4
The testifier describes how it was not necessary to account for the amount of ammunition and targets fired at with machine guns and shells during Operation Protective Edge.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXTIsXhKwi8https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Kt4q6RPaJc
The testifier describes how the rules of engagement were such that the Tank Commander would approve shelling and machine gun fire without necessarily receiving approval from a higher ranking officer.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFTM68gT6zohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmM4XoWCujg
Arbitrary shelling in order to “make our presence felt” during Operation Protective Edge.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bacvzED0T2ghttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpkwPWveV6A
The testifier describes the rules of engagement during Operation Protective Edge and that anyone found in the vicinity was considered suspect. Therefore it was permitted to shoot.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HyMj9SDbWb0https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIoR9aq-W5w
Description of the destruction of neighborhoods in the Gaza Strip during Operation Protective Edge.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2ShEwUt6_whttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22SAuP4qboY
The Battalion Commander wanted to raise morale so he relayed to the soldiers in his company that Shuja’iyya was razed to the ground.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6rOkz57nqIhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFUhBElVJVo
Description of the rules of engagement pertaining to people who are suspected of being Hamas lookouts.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWqyprvwOmkhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0eifslOuTk
The testifier explains why he decided to break his silence.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Vp1e9swq6chttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x14MkKTmb2s

 

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Description of a case in which the testifier and his friend opened fire at a window in which they suspected they had observed  movement, during their activities in Operation Protective Edge.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6vA5TScAW4https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcXNnhq1Y8M
Description of the extensive destruction in the neighborhood of Beit Hanoun, in the northern Gaza Strip, during Operation Protective Edge.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zheWC-wIz8https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7kMwzCMv94
Description of the preparation of a firing position inside a Palestinian house during Operation Protective Edge.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=De0Cr0pP7dkhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNEm1r9O2jc

 

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=970e-XxSpKchttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qu6zM47Qhhs
The testifier describes the first night of the ground invasion during Operation Protective Edge and relays the lax rules of engagement that were sethttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZ0pE2n83_Qhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S76FgeLe-OE
The testifier describes how they would shoot freely at houses during Operation Protective Edge in order to “make their presence felt.”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=noLI2qSH92shttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSawm8_i3HA
The testifier describes the extensive destruction in the neighborhood in which they operated during Operation Protective Edge.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FG_UQ96Ss2chttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYhVL_c33TA
The testifier describes how the company fired randomly at houses to “honor” a member of their company who was killed during Operation Protective Edge.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKHd4LbfEiQhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Z_yOvc-vVQ
The testifier describes firing at the neighborhood in the Gaza Strip during Operation Protective Edge. The fire was directed randomly, not based on any intelligence information.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUmWrU16vYQhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nh7OQePS07w
The testifier describes the rules of engagement as explained by the Regiment Commander and Company Commander during Operation Protective Edge. The approach was that anyone found in the vicinity of IDF forces was suspect, and therefore it was permissible to shoot to kill him/her.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIaQcEU9bIwhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQlR3Y2jXIw
The testifier describes how they tried to hit moving vehicles with tank shells and machine gun fire. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H64Q8EHAxjwhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFUACK8dTNo
The testifier describes how all the tanks in his company would shoot solar water heaters for no reason at all during Operation Protective Edge.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zURFUTEH8SAhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ghy7ewTbpk
The testifier describes how the driver of his tank would run over Palestinian cars for no reason during Operation Protective Edge.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYb055KyvRIhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67CAf_637FI
The testifier describes how military bulldozers destroyed Palestinian orchards and greenhouses during Operation Protective Edge in order to expand the military forces’ field of vision on the day after the operation.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZ5qQjvaCD0https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQYqx1nS2to
The testifier describes lookouts in Gaza and the lax rules of engagement that enable opening fire at lookouts. He relays a case in which the tank he was in fired at a man suspected of being a lookout. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y458bqfHQR0https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7j9fHPB71AE
The testifier describes the amount of ammunition that his armor company fired during Operation Protective Edge.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d045E07EZ7Ihttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaQolWUvUj0
The testifier describes the rules of engagement during Operation Protective Edge and a case in which his tank fired shells at a window only because a light was turned on. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9q7L-7PVX4https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAPG4Dzkykg
The testfier describes an attack for the sake of provocation on a neighborhood called El Bourj during Operation Protective Edge, and the random fire that occurred.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFVFnant-Lwhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2FnnZSPJfc
The testifier describes his feelings at the end of Operation Protective Edge. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOYH8GY-BD4https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzGH6NIx-vs

 

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The witness explains what an artillery shell is and the great damage that the shelling caused in a built up area during Operation Cast Lead.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILXC_VO0Mdkhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W01D8Qj-c3g
The witness describes the atmosphere in the war room when Hamas activists were killed during Operation Cast Lead.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OSANwCeDsEhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKyKIIuujOY
The witness reveals operationally illogical commands received during Operation Cast Lead.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KhLhjiXUfQhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EW46A-mmwnA
The witness speaks about who is permissible to shoot during the Operation.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9ia3Q55oW0https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxNOhS158Yw
The witness describes the impact of artillery shelling of a built up area and the destruction caused during Operation Cast Lead.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GabolUOTswkhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wm5ZjRnYgew
The witness describes an operation planned during Operation Cast Lead, aimed at blowing up Palestinian homes.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMjQ7j5z64ghttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVQ8zAY5Ug4
The witness explains the meaning of “rescue fire” during Operation Cast Lead.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eg81r3iTcMshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKHCHdWgnMU
The witness explains why he chose to “Break the Silence”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xJteoEbnM8https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nLYGLnAq7k