I attended the lecture of Col. Bentzi Gruber of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) at Aish HaTorah because I wanted to learn the truth about what had happened during Operation Cast Lead in Gaza. I admire very much Col. Gruber’s service to Israel and the proud history of the IDF but his discussion of white phosphorus munitions was misleading and deceptive. 

In pictures, he showed what he categorized as a harmless smoke screen rocket, which was in fact an artillery marking round that uses white phosphorus. He denied that the IDF had used white phosphorus munitions.

While the primary purpose of these munitions is to lay a smokescreen, the smoke is generated by white phosphorus. Detonating these munitions at low altitude over areas of civilian concentration virtually guarantees civilian casualties when particles of burning phosphorus rain down.

While the speaker said that the rules of engagement in “Cast Lead” were designed to minimize “collateral damage,” others seem to have been created to minimize Israeli casualties, with disregard for civilians caught in the crossfire. Respect for human life is a core Jewish value and his talk was supposed to show how ethically the IDF acts. When some of what he said is not true, it casts doubt about the rest of his talk. He spoke of Palestinian fighters’ disregard for human life – particularly with children – and that disregard is disgusting and wrong. 

However it does not excuse a powerful, organized army doing wrong, as two wrongs still don’t make a right. The folks who depend on talks like his to tell the whole truth then go into the world with misinformation and crippled in their ability to defend Israel.

Eric Berla, DMD; Major, USAR (ret)