The Petition
H.C. 3799/02, Adalah, et. al. v. Yitzhak Eitan, Commander of the Israeli Army in the West Bank, et. al.
Adalah filed the petition in May 2002 against the Commander of the Israeli Army in the West Bank; the Chief of Staff of the Israeli Army; the Minister of Defense; and the Prime Minister, demanding that the Israeli Army stop using Palestinian civilians as human shields. The petitioners argued that the army’s use of Palestinian civilians as human shields and/or as hostages is inhumane treatment and violates the right to life, physical integrity, and dignity. The petitioners argued that this practice constitutes a “grave breach” of the Geneva Convention (IV) and thus, amounts to a war crime. The petition was filed in Adalah's own name and on behalf of LAW, ACRI, Physicians for Human Rights-Israel, B’Tselem, The Public Committee Against Torture in Israel, and HaMoked.