Israeli troops shown posing with Palestinians
A rights group on Monday published new photos of Israeli soldiers posing with a detainee and vandalising a Palestinian home, in images apparently taken during the 2008-2009 Gaza war.
In one picture, a soldier points his assault rifle at the face of a blindfolded detainee and in another an officer is seen spray-painting a Star of David and "Back soon" on what looks to be the wall of a home. Others show soldiers smiling and posing inside what appear to be Palestinian homes, and in one picture two women can be seen preparing food in a kitchen.
Their release comes after a series of photos and videos depicting Palestinian prisoners have gone public after being posted on social network sites in a practice the military has said it is trying to halt. The latest images were acquired by Breaking the Silence, a group of veteran Israeli combat soldiers who collect testimonies and photos of troops who have served in the occupied territories. Yehuda Shaul, a founding member, declined to reveal the source of the photos, but said the group has received dozens of similar pictures that point to a widespread phenomenon.
AWIP: ‘Facebook soldier’: I'd love to butcher Arabs
AWIP: Facebook scandal escalates as group posts new photos
AWIP: Rights group: IDF soldier's Facebook images are the rule, not the exception