Special to WorldTribune.com

TEL AVIV — The Israeli military is examining the feasibility
of ordering fire on its soldiers taken captive in an effort to avoid another
massive release of Palestinian insurgents.

Officials said Israeli Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz was drafting
orders to prevent another Hamas abduction of soldiers at any cost. They said
the most feasible option was for the military to open fire on abductors even
at the cost of the life of the captive.

“There cannot be another situation where Hamas kidnaps a soldier and we
are left with another long-term national crisis,” an official said.

Officials said the military has already drafted what has been called the
Hannibal protocol, or an order for troops, main battle tanks or helicopters
to fire on any vehicle believed to contain a soldier captured by enemy
forces. They said the protocol could also authorize Israeli bombing of Hamas
strongholds suspected of containing an Israeli soldier.

Combat commanders have already told their troops to follow the Hannibal
protocol. Officials said the orders were relayed to units such as Battalion
51 of the Golan Brigade as early as 2009 during the war with Hamas.

Earlier this month, Israel signed an agreement to release 1,027 Palestinian
prisoners in exchange for Sgt. Gilad Shalit, abducted by Hamas in 2006. The
first stage of the release was followed by Hamas threats to abduct
additional Israeli soldiers.

“The Shalit saga showed that the terrorists see the abduction of an
Israeli soldier as a strategic goal to demoralize our society, including the
military,” the official said. “We can’t continue to play this game any
longer.”

  Hamas, Israeli military may order troops to fire on adbuctors in future, Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz, Sgt. Gilad Shalit