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As early as 2006 the IDF had the practice of warning the inhabitants of a building that was about to be attacked.<ref name="guard" >{{cite news|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2006/jul/28/israel|title=The call that tells you: run, you're about to lose your home and possessions|date=2006-06-28|last=Urquhart |first=Conal |work=guardian.co.uk |publisher=Guardian News and Media Limited|accessdate=2009-01-10}} [http://www.webcitation.org/5eCH82DMb Archived version 2009-01-29]</ref> Roof knocking was used during the 2008–2009 [[Gaza War]], [[Operation Pillar of Defense]] in 2012, and [[Operation Protective Edge]] in 2014. In the six months prior to its use, [[Israel]] collected data on [[Hamas]] members, which they used to issue warnings.<ref name="hp">{{cite news|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/howard-schweber/israel-and-hamas-two-to-t_b_155077.html|title=Israel and Hamas: Two to Tango|last=Schweber|first=Howard|date=2009-01-04|publisher=[[The Huffington Post]]|accessdate=2009-01-10}}</ref> Typically, Israeli intelligence officers and [[Shin Bet]] security servicemen contacted residents of a building in which they suspected storage of military assets and told them that they had 10–15 minutes to flee the attack,<ref name="haretz-rk"/><ref name="aus">{{cite news|url=http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24867840-601,00.html|title= Nuclear fear drives Israel's hard line|date=2009-01-03|last=Rabinovich |first=Abraham |work=The Australian |publisher=News Limited |accessdate=2009-01-09}} [http://www.webcitation.org/5eCH5S2rG Archived version 2009-01-29]</ref><ref name="jpost">{{cite news|url=http://fr.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1231167305954&pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull|title=A response to a Euro-Mediterranean appeal|date=2009-01-04|last=Kurz |first=Anat N. |coauthors=Emily B. Landau |work=opinion.jpost.com |publisher=The Jerusalem Post |accessdate=2009-01-10}} [http://www.webcitation.org/5eCHBRjDI Archived version 2009-01-29]</ref><ref name=DefenseNews>{{cite news| title= In Gaza, Both Sides Reveal New Gear| url= http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?i=3885990| publisher=Defense News| date=January 5, 2009 |last=Opall-Rome |first=Barbara |accessdate=2009-06-17 }}</ref> <ref name=IndependentUK>{{cite web|last1=Withnail|first1=Adam|last2=Viney|first2=Steven|title=Israel-Gaza conflict: Israeli ‘knock on roof’ missile warning technique revealed in remarkable video|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/israelgaza-conflict-israeli-knock-on-roof-missile-warning-technique-revealed-in-stunning-video-9603179.html|website=www.indepdendent|accessdate=13 July 2014}}</ref>although there are reports and footage of the followup attack landing as little as one minute after the warning resulting in entire civilian buildings being annihilated with the residents inside - which contradicts the notion of a warning.<ref name="ocha_report_1_2"> {{Cite news| title = Gaza Humanitarian Situation Report - January 2, 2009 as of 14:30| date = 2009-01-02| publisher = [[UN]] [[Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs]]| url = http://www.ochaopt.org/documents/ocha_opt_gaza_situation_report_2009_01_02_english.pdf| accessdate = 2009-01-02| archiveurl = http://www.webcitation.org/5dYZRlFLB| archivedate = 2009-01-02}}</ref> In many other cases, houses in Gaza Strip were bombed without any warning. For example, in July 12, 2014 An Israeli airstrike on the home of Gaza's police chief, Tayseer Al-Batsh, and a nearby mosque as evening prayers ended, killed 18 civilians including children and injured 45 others.<ref>http://rt.com/news/172380-israel-air-strikes-gaza/</ref><ref>http://news.nationalpost.com/2014/07/13/gaza-police-chief-survives-israeli-airstrike-on-family-home-but-bombs-kill-18-relatives-including-children/</ref>
As early as 2006 the IDF had the practice of warning the inhabitants of a building that was about to be attacked.<ref name="guard" >{{cite news|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2006/jul/28/israel|title=The call that tells you: run, you're about to lose your home and possessions|date=2006-06-28|last=Urquhart |first=Conal |work=guardian.co.uk |publisher=Guardian News and Media Limited|accessdate=2009-01-10}} [http://www.webcitation.org/5eCH82DMb Archived version 2009-01-29]</ref> Roof knocking was used during the 2008–2009 [[Gaza War]], [[Operation Pillar of Defense]] in 2012, and [[Operation Protective Edge]] in 2014. In the six months prior to its use, [[Israel]] collected data on [[Hamas]] members, which they used to issue warnings.<ref name="hp">{{cite news|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/howard-schweber/israel-and-hamas-two-to-t_b_155077.html|title=Israel and Hamas: Two to Tango|last=Schweber|first=Howard|date=2009-01-04|publisher=[[The Huffington Post]]|accessdate=2009-01-10}}</ref> Typically, Israeli intelligence officers and [[Shin Bet]] security servicemen contacted residents of a building in which they suspected storage of military assets and told them that they had 10–15 minutes to flee the attack,<ref name="haretz-rk"/><ref name="aus">{{cite news|url=http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24867840-601,00.html|title= Nuclear fear drives Israel's hard line|date=2009-01-03|last=Rabinovich |first=Abraham |work=The Australian |publisher=News Limited |accessdate=2009-01-09}} [http://www.webcitation.org/5eCH5S2rG Archived version 2009-01-29]</ref><ref name="jpost">{{cite news|url=http://fr.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1231167305954&pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull|title=A response to a Euro-Mediterranean appeal|date=2009-01-04|last=Kurz |first=Anat N. |coauthors=Emily B. Landau |work=opinion.jpost.com |publisher=The Jerusalem Post |accessdate=2009-01-10}} [http://www.webcitation.org/5eCHBRjDI Archived version 2009-01-29]</ref><ref name=DefenseNews>{{cite news| title= In Gaza, Both Sides Reveal New Gear| url= http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?i=3885990| publisher=Defense News| date=January 5, 2009 |last=Opall-Rome |first=Barbara |accessdate=2009-06-17 }}</ref> <ref name=IndependentUK>{{cite web|last1=Withnail|first1=Adam|last2=Viney|first2=Steven|title=Israel-Gaza conflict: Israeli ‘knock on roof’ missile warning technique revealed in remarkable video|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/israelgaza-conflict-israeli-knock-on-roof-missile-warning-technique-revealed-in-stunning-video-9603179.html|website=www.indepdendent|accessdate=13 July 2014}}</ref>although there are reports and footage of the followup attack landing as little as one minute after the warning resulting in entire civilian buildings being annihilated with the residents inside - which contradicts the notion of a warning.<ref name="ocha_report_1_2"> {{Cite news| title = Gaza Humanitarian Situation Report - January 2, 2009 as of 14:30| date = 2009-01-02| publisher = [[UN]] [[Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs]]| url = http://www.ochaopt.org/documents/ocha_opt_gaza_situation_report_2009_01_02_english.pdf| accessdate = 2009-01-02| archiveurl = http://www.webcitation.org/5dYZRlFLB| archivedate = 2009-01-02}}</ref> In many other cases, houses in Gaza Strip were bombed without any warning. For example, in July 12, 2014 An Israeli airstrike on the home of Gaza's police chief, Tayseer Al-Batsh, and a nearby mosque as evening prayers ended, killed 18 civilians including children and injured 45 others.<ref>http://rt.com/news/172380-israel-air-strikes-gaza/</ref><ref>http://news.nationalpost.com/2014/07/13/gaza-police-chief-survives-israeli-airstrike-on-family-home-but-bombs-kill-18-relatives-including-children/</ref>


In some cases, residents that were warned about an impending bombing climbed up to their roofs.<ref name="haretz-rk"/> When faced with this situation, IDF commanders have either bombed, called off the bombing or launched a newly developed, relatively harmless, non-explosive missile at empty areas of the roof, in order to frighten the people gathered on the roof into leaving the building.<ref name="ap-haretz" /><ref name=NYTimesJan10 /><ref name="AnthonyHCordesman">{{cite web| title=The Gaza War: a strategic analyses| url= http://www.csis.org/media/csis/pubs/090202_gaza_war.pdf| publisher=CSIS}}</ref> In several instances, the IDF has used a sound bomb to warn civilians before striking homes.<ref name="ap-haretz"/>
In some cases, residents that were warned about an impending bombing climbed up to their roofs.<ref name="haretz-rk"/> When faced with this situation, IDF commanders have either bombed, called off the bombing or launched a newly developed, relatively harmless, non-explosive missile at empty areas of the roof, in order to frighten the people gathered on the roof into leaving the building.<ref name="ap-haretz" /><ref name=NYTimesJan10 /><ref name="AnthonyHCordesman">{{cite web| title=The Gaza War: a strategic analyses| url= http://www.csis.org/media/csis/pubs/090202_gaza_war.pdf| publisher=CSIS}}</ref> When [[Nizar Rayan]], a top Hamas military commander, was warned but didn't leave his home, he and his family of 15 were killed in the subsequent bombing.<ref name="haretz-rk"/><ref name="hp" />


The Israeli Government reported that the warning systems were not perfect but still highly effective. Aerial video surveillance by IDF forces confirmed many times the departure of civilians from targeted areas prior to an attack, as a direct result of the warnings.<ref name='IsraelGovReport2009'> {{cite web|url=http://www.mfa.gov.il/NR/rdonlyres/E89E699D-A435-491B-B2D0-017675DAFEF7/0/GazaOperation.pdf |title=The Operation in Gaza: Factual and Legal Aspects |pages=50–51, 100|accessdate=2009-09-06 |date=2009-07-29 |publisher=[[Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs]] }} [http://www.webcitation.org/5jZj6VsTs Archived version 2009-09-06]</ref> When [[Nizar Rayan]], a top Hamas military commander, was warned but didn't leave his home, he and his family of 15 were killed in the subsequent bombing.<ref name="haretz-rk"/><ref name="hp" />
The Israeli Government reported that the warning systems were not perfect but still highly effective. Aerial video surveillance by IDF forces confirmed many times the departure of civilians from targeted areas prior to an attack, as a direct result of the warnings.<ref name='IsraelGovReport2009'> {{cite web|url=http://www.mfa.gov.il/NR/rdonlyres/E89E699D-A435-491B-B2D0-017675DAFEF7/0/GazaOperation.pdf |title=The Operation in Gaza: Factual and Legal Aspects |pages=50–51, 100|accessdate=2009-09-06 |date=2009-07-29 |publisher=[[Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs]] }} [http://www.webcitation.org/5jZj6VsTs Archived version 2009-09-06]</ref>


According to the Israeli army, striking homes used for weapons storage, when sufficient warning is given to the residents, falls within the boundaries of [[international law]] and is legitimate.<ref name="Ynet">{{cite news|url=http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3648848,00.html|title=Hamas leader, 20 Palestinians killed in IAF strikes|date=2009-01-09|work=ynet news.com |publisher=Yedioth Internet |accessdate=2009-01-09}} [http://www.webcitation.org/5eCHIHwI2 Archived version 2009-01-29]</ref> According to the [[Palestinian Centre for Human Rights]], the warning of inhabitants by Israeli forces is [[psychological warfare]]<ref name="guard" /> and after the first week of the offensive, only 37 houses had been destroyed despite hundreds of warning calls.<ref name='Guardian3Jan2009'>{{cite news | first=Hazem | last=Balousha | coauthors= Toni O'Loughlin |authorlink= | title=Text messages and phone calls add psychological aspect to warfare in Gaza | date=2009-01-03 | publisher=Guardian News and Media Limited | url =http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jan/03/israelandthepalestinians-middleeast | work = guardian.co.uk home | pages = | accessdate = 2009-02-18 | language = }}</ref>
According to the Israeli army, striking homes used for weapons storage, when sufficient warning is given to the residents, falls within the boundaries of [[international law]] and is legitimate.<ref name="Ynet">{{cite news|url=http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3648848,00.html|title=Hamas leader, 20 Palestinians killed in IAF strikes|date=2009-01-09|work=ynet news.com |publisher=Yedioth Internet |accessdate=2009-01-09}} [http://www.webcitation.org/5eCHIHwI2 Archived version 2009-01-29]</ref> According to the [[Palestinian Centre for Human Rights]], the warning of inhabitants by Israeli forces is [[psychological warfare]]<ref name="guard" /> and after the first week of the offensive, only 37 houses had been destroyed despite hundreds of warning calls.<ref name='Guardian3Jan2009'>{{cite news | first=Hazem | last=Balousha | coauthors= Toni O'Loughlin |authorlink= | title=Text messages and phone calls add psychological aspect to warfare in Gaza | date=2009-01-03 | publisher=Guardian News and Media Limited | url =http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jan/03/israelandthepalestinians-middleeast | work = guardian.co.uk home | pages = | accessdate = 2009-02-18 | language = }}</ref>

Revision as of 21:44, 15 July 2014

Roof knocking is the practice of warning inhabitants of a building before it is bombed to give the inhabitants time to flee the attack.[1] The practice has been used by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) before attacking buildings that they suspect contain weapons.[2][3][4] The term "roof knocking" (Template:Lang-he-n[5]) or "a knock on the roof" has also been used to describe the IDF practice of firing a non-explosive missile at a roof to get people there to leave.[6][7] However, the practice has been shown to be extremely controversial, as many human rights and news organizations have shown the 'roof knocks' to strike and kill inhabitants. [8]

As early as 2006 the IDF had the practice of warning the inhabitants of a building that was about to be attacked.[9] Roof knocking was used during the 2008–2009 Gaza War, Operation Pillar of Defense in 2012, and Operation Protective Edge in 2014. In the six months prior to its use, Israel collected data on Hamas members, which they used to issue warnings.[4] Typically, Israeli intelligence officers and Shin Bet security servicemen contacted residents of a building in which they suspected storage of military assets and told them that they had 10–15 minutes to flee the attack,[2][7][10][11] [8]although there are reports and footage of the followup attack landing as little as one minute after the warning resulting in entire civilian buildings being annihilated with the residents inside - which contradicts the notion of a warning.[12] In many other cases, houses in Gaza Strip were bombed without any warning. For example, in July 12, 2014 An Israeli airstrike on the home of Gaza's police chief, Tayseer Al-Batsh, and a nearby mosque as evening prayers ended, killed 18 civilians including children and injured 45 others.[13][14]

In some cases, residents that were warned about an impending bombing climbed up to their roofs.[2] When faced with this situation, IDF commanders have either bombed, called off the bombing or launched a newly developed, relatively harmless, non-explosive missile at empty areas of the roof, in order to frighten the people gathered on the roof into leaving the building.[1][6][15] When Nizar Rayan, a top Hamas military commander, was warned but didn't leave his home, he and his family of 15 were killed in the subsequent bombing.[2][4]

The Israeli Government reported that the warning systems were not perfect but still highly effective. Aerial video surveillance by IDF forces confirmed many times the departure of civilians from targeted areas prior to an attack, as a direct result of the warnings.[16]

According to the Israeli army, striking homes used for weapons storage, when sufficient warning is given to the residents, falls within the boundaries of international law and is legitimate.[17] According to the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, the warning of inhabitants by Israeli forces is psychological warfare[9] and after the first week of the offensive, only 37 houses had been destroyed despite hundreds of warning calls.[18]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "IDF phones Gaza residents to warn them of imminent strikes". Haaretz.com. Haaretz. 2009-01-04. Retrieved 2009-01-09.
  2. ^ a b c d Harel, Amos (2009-01-04). "IDF targets senior Hamas figures". Haaretz.com. Haaretz. Retrieved 2009-01-09. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |coauthor= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  3. ^ McGregor-Wood, Simon (2009-01-02). "Bush: U.S. Calls for Monitored Cease-fire Pact". abcNews. ABCNews Internet Ventures. Retrieved 2009-01-04. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help) Archived version 2009-01-29
  4. ^ a b c Schweber, Howard (2009-01-04). "Israel and Hamas: Two to Tango". The Huffington Post. HuffingtonPost.com, Inc. Retrieved 2009-01-10. Archived version 2009-01-29 Cite error: The named reference "hp" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  5. ^ "עזה: בכיר חמאס חוסל, כ-26 נהרגו בתקיפות" (in Hebrew). Ynet. Retrieved 2009-01-18. Archived version 2009-01-29
  6. ^ a b Erlanger, Steven (2009-01-10). "A Gaza War Full of Traps and Trickery". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
  7. ^ a b Rabinovich, Abraham (2009-01-03). "Nuclear fear drives Israel's hard line". The Australian. News Limited. Retrieved 2009-01-09. Archived version 2009-01-29
  8. ^ a b Withnail, Adam; Viney, Steven. "Israel-Gaza conflict: Israeli 'knock on roof' missile warning technique revealed in remarkable video". www.indepdendent. Retrieved 13 July 2014.
  9. ^ a b Urquhart, Conal (2006-06-28). "The call that tells you: run, you're about to lose your home and possessions". guardian.co.uk. Guardian News and Media Limited. Retrieved 2009-01-10. Archived version 2009-01-29
  10. ^ Kurz, Anat N. (2009-01-04). "A response to a Euro-Mediterranean appeal". opinion.jpost.com. The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 2009-01-10. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help) Archived version 2009-01-29
  11. ^ Opall-Rome, Barbara (January 5, 2009). "In Gaza, Both Sides Reveal New Gear". Defense News. Retrieved 2009-06-17.
  12. ^ "Gaza Humanitarian Situation Report - January 2, 2009 as of 14:30". UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. 2009-01-02. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-01-02. Retrieved 2009-01-02.
  13. ^ http://rt.com/news/172380-israel-air-strikes-gaza/
  14. ^ http://news.nationalpost.com/2014/07/13/gaza-police-chief-survives-israeli-airstrike-on-family-home-but-bombs-kill-18-relatives-including-children/
  15. ^ "The Gaza War: a strategic analyses" (PDF). CSIS.
  16. ^ "The Operation in Gaza: Factual and Legal Aspects" (PDF). Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 2009-07-29. pp. 50–51, 100. Retrieved 2009-09-06. Archived version 2009-09-06
  17. ^ "Hamas leader, 20 Palestinians killed in IAF strikes". ynet news.com. Yedioth Internet. 2009-01-09. Retrieved 2009-01-09. Archived version 2009-01-29
  18. ^ Balousha, Hazem (2009-01-03). "Text messages and phone calls add psychological aspect to warfare in Gaza". guardian.co.uk home. Guardian News and Media Limited. Retrieved 2009-02-18. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
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