Israeli troops kill dozens of Palestinians

Palestinians look at smoke billowing from burning tyres during clashes with Israeli forces near the border between the Gaza strip and Israel Photograph: Mahmud Hams/AFP/Getty Images
In theory, at least, the Israeli military’s rules of engagement for demonstrations are largely clear.

In general terms - as has been exposed in court cases, commentaries and remarks by officials - soldiers are only permitted to open fire during a demonstration if lives are deemed to be under threat. In reality, however, that has often be interpreted either in omission or with such latitude that outside observers have criticised lethal live fire as excessive force.