Israel's Ruthless Golani Brigade

Stephen Lendman

On February 28, 1948, David Ben-Gurion formed Golani to help ethnically cleanse Palestine during Israel's War of Independence.

Ariel Sharon was one of its first commanders. Earlier he was a notorious Hagana terror gang one and Alexandroni death squad head. In 1953, he established the infamous Unit 101.

It included lawless cutthroats responsible for numerous massacres. Sharon's entire career was bloodstained. Many other Israeli commanders matched him. Their careers often included Golani service.

It's a ruthless killing machine. In 1947-48, it participated in displacing about 800,000 Palestinians, massacring many others, committing numerous atrocities, and destroying 531 villages and 11 urban neighborhoods in cities like Tel-Aviv, Haifa and Jerusalem.

Its initial mission was systematic crimes of war and against humanity. Decades of cold-blooded murder, rape, torture, and genocidal slaughter followed. They're also cowards. They terrorize defenseless civilians, including women and children. Brutes excel in this type violence. It exposes their dark side. They avoid fair fights.

Golani attracts the most criminal elements in Israeli society. According to an unidentified soldier:

They include "psychopaths, the poor, orphans, Israelis who live in small towns, immigrants, illiterates, people with mental problems, drug and alcohol abusers, and people with criminal records."

Sharon was a quintessential member. Later commanders were similar. Some rose to high IDF posts. Former IDF head General Gabi Ashkenazi served with Golani in 1972 and during Israel's 1973 Yom Kippur War.

In mid-February, a Christian Peacemaker Teams report submitted to the UN documented Golani crimes in Hebron's Old City and areas around Israel's Tel Rumeida settlement. They include home invasions, unprovoked violence, inflicting physical injuries, arbitrary arrests and detentions, assaulting women and children, and numerous other human rights violations.

Palestinians and international observers trying to document their crimes are victimized. "Contrary to military justifications, these human rights violations have occurred without observed provocation on the part of" those targeted. Accounts reported or witnessed "are believed to represent only a small portion of the total number of abuses."

On December 27, 2011, Golani arrived in Hebron. Systematic terror followed. On January 3, 15 Golanis approached children near Tel Rumeida. Attempting to arrest a 15-year old boy, family members and other Palestinians intervened.

In response, soldiers fired sound grenades, assaulted a woman, a three-year old boy, a 70-year old man, arrested two other men, and detained them.

On January 7, Golanis arbitrarily arrested a Palestinian boy for not having his ID card.

On January 12, they assaulted a disabled young man and beat him repeatedly. The same evening, they stormed his family home, beat him again, his brother, and mother with batons, fists, and rifle butts. The brother sustained a fractured skull and other wounds.

Other terror tactics followed, including harassment, home invasions, property destruction, arrests, detentions, and beatings.

On February 8, Golanis and Israeli border police stormed 30 or more Hebron Old City homes, broke down doors, smashed windows, and ransacked and damaged belongings. A family of eight with two small children were forced out. Ill and disabled residents were terrorized.

On February 13, Haaretz writer Amira Hass headlined, "IDF brigade leaves an impression in Hebron," saying:

Golanis may "remain in the area until May, and in Hebron residents are worried." Since arriving, they've been systematically terrorized. "Witnesses refer to protracted delays at crossing points that straddle the Jewish settled part of the city and remainder of Hebron."

Palestinians cite numerous other abuses, including "detention, intimidation, provocation, and arrest of children and teenagers; arbitrary detention of Palestinians or blocking access to roads; beatings or threatening (them); religion-based provocations and insults; forcible entry into homes and violation of Palestinian property; (and) reprisals against local and international human rights activists."

Following protests by area residents and international observers, an IDF spokesman called "instances of deviation....exceptional and do not reflect the conduct of IDF forces in the region."

Despite well documented evidence reflecting decades of IDF state terror, Defense Minister Ehud Barak once called it "the most moral army in the world."

Cast Lead examples included shooting unarmed civilians, writing "death to Arabs" on walls, spitting on family pictures, using Palestinians as human shields, ordering home residents outside in five minutes or be shot, distributing a booklet calling it "terribly immoral" to show Palestinians mercy, preaching hate, and much more.

A Rules of Engagement document orders soldiers in combat to shoot Palestinians in cold blood, or in cases of injuries, prevent evacuations and let them bleed to death.

Gideon Levy countered Barak, saying the "IDF ceased long ago being the most moral army in the world." In fact, it was established to reign terror on opponents, including defenseless civilians. Soldiers are taught to hate Arabs. Jews, they're told are superior, so it's "morally" OK to slaughter them.

Israel's entire history reflects it. Golanis are the worst of the bunch. Palestinian journalist Kawther Salam called them "Israel's finest psychopaths," describing a lawless bunch of cutthroats.

As a journalist, she covered them for 23 years, saying:

Golanis "were consistently weak, cowardly psychopaths. I remember these soldiers, their names, their faces, their criminal and sadistic actions. I have documented everything in photos and videos. I have written lots about these soldiers, their officers and units in the past."

Their entire history is bloodstained. A succession of cutthroat commanders led them. Recruits are "psychopaths, criminals, and drug dealers who hide themselves behind a military uniform and derive their power from" the barrel of a gun. "(A)rmed to the teeth and before a defenseless civilian population, (they're) cowards second to none."

They're also rapists and thieves, anything they get their hands on. They reflect the truth about Barak's "most moral army in the world."

In a just one, they'd be imprisoned for life doing hard time. So would Barak, Netanyahu, and other Israeli officials and commanders. Unaccountable, they have lots to answer for!
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Stephen Lendman: I was born in 1934 in Boston, MA. Raised in a modest middle class family, attended public schools, received a BA from Harvard University in 1956 and an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of PA in 1960 following 2 years of obligatory military service in the US Army. Spent the next 6 years as a marketing research analyst for several large US corporations before becoming part of a new small family business in 1967, remaining there until retiring at the end of 1999. Have since devoted my time and efforts to the progressive causes and organizations I support, all involved in working for a more humane and just world for all people everywhere, but especially for the most needy, disadvantaged and oppressed. My efforts since summer 2005 have included writing on a broad range of vital topics ranging from war and peace; social, economic and political equity for all; and justice for all the oppressed peoples of the world like the long-suffering people of Haiti and the Palestinians. Also co-hosting The Global Research News Hour, occasional public talks, and frequent appearances on radio and at times television. I also am a Research Associate of the Centre for Research on Globalization. I live in Chicago and can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. Also visit my blog site sjlendman.blogspot.com and listen to The Lendman News Hour on RepublicBroadcasting.org Monday - Friday at 10AM US Central time for cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on world and national issues. All programs are archived for easy listening. My new book "How Wall Street Fleeces America: Privatized Banking, Government Collusion and Class War" can be ordered HERE.
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