The Israeli Defense Ministry has admitted to the distribution of literature by military Rabbis in which Israeli troops were told to show no mercy against any Palestinians in the recent military actions carried out in the Gaza strip.
The booklet in question quotes, among others, far-right rabbi Shlomo Aviner, telling troops: "When you show mercy to a cruel enemy, you are being cruel to pure and honest soldiers … This is a war on murderers."
The admission of the publication was sent to a member of the Israeli Parliament by an aide to Defense Minister Ehud Barak and clearly warned that the booklet "evidently contained certain content unsuitable for military publication."