Targeted Killings in Response to Security Threats: Warfare and Humanitarian Issues

Abstract

According to the Israeli human rights organization B'tselem, since the Second Intifada broke out in November 2000, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) killed more than 300 Palestinians during targeted operations against militia leaders. 130 victims were bystanders. Israel has long defended this practice as a necessary tactic in time of war. Starting from a decision issued by the Supreme Court of Israel in December 2006, in which the Court stated that it cannot determine if preventative strikes against Palestinian fighters are always legal, or that they are always illegal, this work addresses the IDF operations and the issue of targeted killings in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, from the standpoint of international humanitarian law and the law of human rights.