The Israeli army is investigating suspicions of a violation of international law by its troops who blew up a main water reservoir serving the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip.
The reservoir, in Rafah’s Tel Sultan neighborhood, was destroyed last week with the approval of the commander of the soldiers, who belong to the 401st Brigade of the Armored Corps, but without the approval of senior officers from the IDF Southern Command.
One soldier posted video footage of the explosion on social media with the caption: “The destruction of Tel Sultan’s water reservoir in honor of Shabbat.” After an initial probe into the incident, the army will decide whether to refer the case for investigation by the military police.
War crimes “in honor of Shabbat”? I hope any remaining diaspora members of conscience who haven’t already been troubled by all this are hearing about this framing. Both horrific in its malevolence and a misrepresentation of Judaism all in one go!