hoepoe
02-15-2006, 10:02
Hello all
Please read below and see my questions that follow:
Today the IDF shot and killed a 19 year old mentally handicapped male carrying a toy rifle.
The happened when an elite IDF unite entered a Palestinian village to execute an arrest and the deceased approached them saying "leave the village" with his rifle in hand.
Three months ago, IDF soldiers shot dead a 12-year-old boy in the Jenin refugee camp who was carrying a toy gun, also during an IDF arrest raid of the same unit.. The boy was holding a plastic rifle that soldiers believed was a real weapon. One of the soldiers opened fire from inside a jeep and hit him in the head.
In January 2005, a 12 yea old boy was killed in the village of Taysir located east of Jenin. Soldiers from an infantry unit were driving through the village when local youths began congregating and throwing stones at their jeep. Soldiers said the boy aimed a rifle at them that resembled in design and size an M-16 assault rifle. The soldiers opened fire and killed the boy.
Now this is indeed sad, but the soldiers are not at fault. My question is, what are your opinions for deifferentiating between toy and real weapons in a hot zone? Keep in mind, kids as young as 9 have been used to ferry bombs and bomb making equipment as wellas weapons. Kids as young as 14 and 15 have been caught with suicide belts on ready to go boom.
Is it at all possible to differentiate under these circumstances?
Perhaps the parents should not allow their kids to wonder the streets with toys resembling wepaons?
Thoughts?
Hoepoe
Please read below and see my questions that follow:
Today the IDF shot and killed a 19 year old mentally handicapped male carrying a toy rifle.
The happened when an elite IDF unite entered a Palestinian village to execute an arrest and the deceased approached them saying "leave the village" with his rifle in hand.
Three months ago, IDF soldiers shot dead a 12-year-old boy in the Jenin refugee camp who was carrying a toy gun, also during an IDF arrest raid of the same unit.. The boy was holding a plastic rifle that soldiers believed was a real weapon. One of the soldiers opened fire from inside a jeep and hit him in the head.
In January 2005, a 12 yea old boy was killed in the village of Taysir located east of Jenin. Soldiers from an infantry unit were driving through the village when local youths began congregating and throwing stones at their jeep. Soldiers said the boy aimed a rifle at them that resembled in design and size an M-16 assault rifle. The soldiers opened fire and killed the boy.
Now this is indeed sad, but the soldiers are not at fault. My question is, what are your opinions for deifferentiating between toy and real weapons in a hot zone? Keep in mind, kids as young as 9 have been used to ferry bombs and bomb making equipment as wellas weapons. Kids as young as 14 and 15 have been caught with suicide belts on ready to go boom.
Is it at all possible to differentiate under these circumstances?
Perhaps the parents should not allow their kids to wonder the streets with toys resembling wepaons?
Thoughts?
Hoepoe