'Israel' to deploy autonomous guns that 'track targets' in West Bank

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
15 Dec 2024 12:37
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The Israeli Army has recently begun acquiring advanced technological systems to be installed in the occupied West Bank, including surveillance towers and mechanisms designed for remote firing.

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Cameras pointed at the Aroub refugee camp in the West Bank, on October 6, 2022. (AP)

Israeli Army Radio reported on Sunday that the Israeli military is set to deploy autonomous guns capable of tracking "targets" [Palestinians] when firing ammunition at strategic sites in the occupied West Bank, despite these systems having largely failed and been disabled on October 7 during Operation al-Aqsa Flood.

The Israeli Army has recently begun acquiring advanced technological systems to be installed in the occupied West Bank, including surveillance towers and mechanisms designed for remote firing. The Israeli military reportedly plans to position dozens of these systems at key settlement entrances to deter "infiltration".

According to the report, the systems tailored for West Bank operations are already in production. In the initial phase, the army will prioritize areas deemed most vulnerable, with plans to expand the deployment in the future.

Training will also be conducted for members of Unit 636, the intelligence unit assigned to the West Bank, focusing on operating the systems and executing remote firing operations.

Remote-controlled killings: A press of a button from a female guard tower

Israeli Army Radio reported that the Israeli military is preparing to deploy the See-Shoot System in the occupied West Bank. Produced by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, the system consists of a surveillance tower and a remote-controlled firing mechanism operated by female soldiers in the observation unit. It is designed to target "armed individuals approaching the separation fence."

Twin turrets, each fitted with a lens and a gun barrel, will be mounted on a guard tower filled with surveillance cameras overlooking the occupied West Bank. There are no soldiers stationed beside the weapons. Instead, the turrets are remotely controlled, allowing soldiers inside the tower to fire at "chosen targets" with the press of a button.

The Israeli military has used the system in the Gaza Envelope since 2008, but it failed to prevent the Al-Aqsa Flood Operation, after being destroyed and disabled by Palestinian Resistance forces.

In response, a military correspondent for Army Radio raised concerns, asking, "Given the system's failure and ineffectiveness around Gaza, why is it expected to succeed in the West Bank?"

The decision to deploy the system in the West Bank is driven by concerns over the "threat posed by potential attacks on settlements," according to Israeli Army Radio.

The big picture

Meanwhile, the introduction of this controversial weapon coincides with escalating Israeli aggression against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank following October 7, a region experiencing its deadliest year since 2006.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's hardline coalition, which includes a far-right party closely aligned with the settler movement, has contributed to increased settler violence alongside Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) assaults.

It is worth noting that Israeli occupation forces have detained 12,100 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, including the eastern part of occupied al-Quds, since the start of the war on the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023, the Palestinian Prisoners Society (PPS) confirmed on Friday.

Human rights organizations have repeatedly expressed concerns about the unethical use of such automated guns, fearing that the system could be misused or hacked, with no accountability in potentially deadly situations. Many also condemn what they view as a weapons test being carried out on Palestinians.