Sunday, December 7, 2014, 19:20 Following the publication of the order by the Military
“Legal first aid” card, both sides
Advocate General to open investigations on the conduct of soldiers who participated in Operation Protective Edge (Summer 2014), Honenu is repeating the call to anyone in the security forces in need of legal assistance to contact the headquarters for assistance from some of the best attorneys in the country.
“Unfortunately our concerns have been proven warranted and indeed the Military Advocate General is opening investigations of soldiers,” said Shmuel (Zangi) Meidad on Sunday, December 7. “We are constantly in contact with soldiers entangled in complicated legal problems and there is a feeling that the system does not back them, but rather treats them with ingratitude. One must remember that these are the best of our boys who risked their lives to safeguard the security of Israel. To present them as the worst of criminals is a severe disgrace which is completely out of place.”
During Operation Protective Edge Honenu publicized a statement signed by a group of
Distribution of cards during Operation Protective Edge
expert attorneys explaining that the IDF does not violate the international laws of warfare when fighting in the Gaza Strip. The attorneys also announced that they would, in cooperation with Honenu, provide legal counsel to IDF soldiers and other security forces of all ranks who participated in the fighting in the event that an investigation was opened against them. Honenu’s staff also distributed thousands of “legal first aid” cards to IDF soldiers serving in the south of Israel so that in the event that an investigation is opened against them, they would know how best to react initially and how to receive assistance from the organization.
Meidad said that the card distribution has had a noticeable effect and that more and more soldiers and border policemen are requesting legal assistance from Honenu. “We say to every soldier who is in need of assistance: we are here for you.”