IDF to suspend round-up operations in the West Bank
By Amos Harel Haaretz 9 October 2005
www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/632966.html

The IDF will suspend rounding up wanted Palestinians in the West Bank, if
they are likely to open fire, military sources said over the weekend.

The decision follows last Thursday's High Court of Justice ruling outlawing
the use of Palestinians as "human shields" in any way while arresting wanted
activists.

Senior military sources said that since it was no longer allowed to send
Palestinian civilians ahead of soldiers into houses where wanted people had
barricaded themselves, these operations should be suspended to avoid
unnecessary risk to soldiers' lives.

The operations will be suspended until new procedures are formulated.

However, in cases of "ticking bombs" - where there is a specific tip about a
terrorist planning an imminent attack - the forces will be operated despite
the risk involved.

IDF sources recently blasted the court ruling, saying it endangered the
lives of the soldiers and does not reflect understanding of the conditions
on the ground.

However, Chief of Staff Dan Halutz ordered the High Court decision be
respected immediately.

The IDF's Operations Division will start drawing conclusions from the court
ruling about the arrest operations in the territories this week. The
officers will examine, in consultation with the Military Advocate General,
whether the ruling left a legal loophole enabling these operations after
all.

This is following Justice Mishael Cheshin's comment in the verdict that
perhaps it would be possible to legitimize the practice after the fact, if
it transpires that the wanted person was exceptionally dangerous.