Dozens of Israeli intel soldiers refuse to operate in Palestinian territoriesSeptember 13, 2014 - 12:55 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Dozens of reserve soldiers from an elite Israeli intelligence unit publicly declared Friday, Sept 12 that they refuse to operate in the Palestinian territories, citing moral reasons, the Associated Press reported. Soldiers from Unit 8200 — Israel's equivalent of the eavesdropping, code-breaking U.S. National Security Agency — aired their grievances in the Yediot Ahronot daily after sending a letter to the military chief of staff and the prime minister. "We veterans of Unit 8200, reservists past and present, declare that we refuse to take part in activity against Palestinians and refuse to be tools to deepen the military control in the occupied territories," the soldiers wrote. The 43 soldiers, including some officers, allege that some of their unit's intelligence work prevents Palestinians from leading "normal lives" and only serves to prolong the conflict. An anonymous soldier told Yediot that information gathered on a Palestinian's personal life or health issues can be used against him for intelligence purposes. Israel has long relied on a network of Palestinian informers in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, who help target militants and tip off security services to imminent attacks. Informers are often recruited through blackmail, the lure of travel permits and money. The soldiers emphasized that their refusal to serve applies to Palestinian areas only. The military said soldiers in the unit are held to a high ethical standard and work under supervision. It questioned the "seriousness of the claims" in the letter. A spokesman for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu refused to comment. Soldiers have refused to operate in the Palestinian territories in the past, citing similar reasons. But this is the first time a large group from this elite unit has done so. Photo: Reuters Related links: Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Protest leader vows to achieve departure of Armenian authorities According to Archbishop Bagrat, there is only one solution to the situation in Armenia. Heads of Armenian, Ukrainian parliaments hold virtual talks Alen Simonyan and Ruslan Stefanchuk held talks via video conference on Tuesday, May 21. Pashinyan travels to Iran to pay tribute to Raisi, others Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has left for the Islamic Republic of Iran on a working visit. Your home is in Armenia – Ameriabank offers mortgage loans for the Diaspora To buy real estate, Diasporans can apply to Ameriabank online to buy, renovate or build a home anywhere in Armenia. |