Draft bill protects Israel soldiers from accountability

Deputy Defence Minister Rabbi Eli Ben Dahan is drafting a new bill that would grant Israeli soldiers immunity from legal accountability for their actions in the field while dealing with operations carried out by Palestinians.

The draft bill has been called the Elor Azaria Law, referring to Sergeant Azaria who was charged and convicted of murder after shooting and killing wounded Palestinian Abdel Fattah Al-Sharif as he lay unarmed and motionless on the ground.

Jewish Home Member of the Knesset Eliyahu Ben Dahan intends to present the draft bill to the Knesset in the coming weeks.

“The law is intended to establish that members of the security forces will receive immunity for actions they carried out or actions that they refrained from carrying out, whether before, during, or after an operational incident or terrorist incident not in ongoing operational activity of the unit in which an employee or a member of the security forces serves,” his office explained

The law sends a clear message to IDF soldiers: just as they protect us, we will protect you as well.

This “balanced law would allow IDF soldiers to carry out their duty to defend the country without fear of potential criminal prosecution,” he added. Immunity can be withdrawn from soldiers in the event that they commit acts which violate military customs.

Read: Israel law allows prosecution of those revealing army violations against Palestinians