Special to WorldTribune.com

TEL AVIV — The Israeli military has begun training to prevent
the abduction of soldiers.

Officials said the Military Police has drafted measures that would be
introduced in training soldiers from all three services. They said
soldiers would be instructed on how to prevent abductions by such
groups as Hamas, Hizbullah, Islamic Jihad and the Popular Resistance
Committees.

“We cannot allow for another abduction, so we must increase our efforts to prevent it,” Chief Military Police Officer Brig. Gen. Meir Ohana said.

Officials said the military has determined a heightened threat of
abduction in wake of the prisoner exchange with Hamas in October.
Israel freed nearly 500 Palestinians, many of them convicted of multiple killings, in exchange for Sgt. Gilad Shalit, captured from his army base and held captive in the Gaza Strip since 2006.

“There are many warnings of such an attempt, after Gilad Shalit’s
release the various terror organizations announced their attempts to abduct soldiers,” Ohana said.

In December, the military, which appointed an officer responsible
for personal security, is scheduled to hold exercises to respond to an abduction attempt. Officials said exercises would be conducted to determine the best methods for avoiding or resisting abductions. This would include the use of pepper spray by soldiers not given weapons.

Ohana said his unit would intensify enforcement of a military ban on
hitch-hiking. He said soldiers found to be thumbing for rides would be
severely punished.

“Soldier and commander awareness is increasing and continued enforcement
will eliminate this dangerous habit,” Ohana said.

Officials acknowledged that soldiers were instructed to open fire to
prevent any abduction attempt, even at risk of harming their colleague. But
they said such orders would be limited to combat units and subject to the
decision by local commanders.

“In terms of abduction at the border, we’ve clarified routine security
and operational instructions,” Col. Shmuel Kalami, another senior military
police officer, said. “In terms of abduction abroad, we are instructing
Israeli soldiers leaving the country.”

  Brig. Gen. Meir Ohana, Col. Shmeul Kalami, Islamic Jihad, Israeli military steps up training to prevent abductions, Popular Resistance Committees, Sgt. Gilad Shalit