In past weeks, Gush Shalom has come under attack for its efforts to make Israel Defense Forces officers aware of the consequences of committing acts that constitute war crimes under the Fourth Geneva Convention, of which Israel is a signatory.

According to Israeli military law, there are "manifestly illegal orders" over which the "black flag of illegality" flies.  Israeli soldiers are instructed to refuse to carry out such orders, which include execution without trial (called "liquidation"), killing of defenseless wounded (called "verification of death"), preventing medical help from reaching the injured, shooting at ambulances and medical teams, allowing populations to starve, dropping bombs on residential areas, wholesale destruction of houses, penalizing families for the deeds of one of their members by expulsion and home demolition.

Under the terms of the Fourth Geneva Convention, perpetrators of illegal orders (war crimes) in the Occupied Territories should be brought to trial in a court of Israeli or international law.  Gush Shalom seeks to avoid the commission of war crimes by warning officers and soldiers of the IDF of this possibility.

Rather than condemning Gush Shalom, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Minister of Justice Me'ir Shitreet should be thanking Gush Shalom for taking this courageous stand.  They should be taking every action possible to ensure that the men and women of the IDF no longer are asked to carry out manifestly illegal orders.

Gush Shalom seeks to promote the best interests of Israel and of peace.  We, the undersigned supporters of a just, lasting, and secure peace between Israelis and Palestinians, support Gush Shalom as it alerts their fellow citizens to the disastrous consequences of Occupation.