Rabin Defends Plastic Bullets, Wounded Toll

Israeli Defense Minister Yitzhak Rabin, responding to sharp criticism over the growing number of injuries to Arab protesters, said Tuesday that Israel’s new policy of using plastic bullets is designed to increase the wounded among rebel Palestinians in order to end the Arab uprising.

Rabin argued, however, that the use of plastic bullets, introduced last month, will reduce the number of Arab deaths at Israeli hands.

“Those who participate in violent activities,” he said, “suffer more casualties in terms of wounded. . . . Our purpose is to increase the number (of wounded) among those who take part in violent activities, but not to kill them. This is the reason for the introduction of the plastic bullets.”

‘I Know My Responsibility’

Rabin, speaking at a news conference at an Israeli military base in Beit El, 12 miles north of Jerusalem, went on: “I am not worried about the increase in the number of those wounded, as long as they were wounded as a result of being involved actively--by instigating, organizing and taking part in violent activities. I know my responsibility. My responsibility as the minister of defense is to bring down significantly the level of violence in the territories.”

Rabin’s remarks came amid charges by a U.N. relief agency that the number of injuries to Arab protesters and stone throwers has increased dramatically as Israeli soldiers have become freer to fire plastic bullets to break up demonstrations.

Since the uprising, or intifada, began last December, more than 250 Palestinians have been killed and thousands of others wounded by Israeli soldiers.

On Tuesday, an Israeli army spokesman reported the death of a 17-year-old Palestinian hit by a plastic bullet, and doctors at a Gaza hospital said a 27-year-old Arab man killed Monday had been hit by one. The first known victim of a plastic bullet was a 13-year-old girl who died Saturday after being in a coma for a week. Soldiers have shot to death six Arabs in the past week.

Plastic bullets were first used here last month. Initially they were given to officers who were under orders to maim ringleaders of Arab disturbances, but now, military officials say, more “especially trained” troops are free to use them.

Plastic bullets are to be fired at “organizers and instigators” who stand behind stone throwers at a range of 30 to 50 yards, Rabin said. According to army spokesmen, the maximum lethal range of the bullets is about 75 yards.

Fired at the Legs

When told that the range mentioned by Rabin fell within the deadly distance, aides to the defense minister said the plastic bullets are meant to be fired at the legs of violent protesters.

Officials of the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian refugees have complained to Israeli army officials in the Gaza Strip about a recent surge in Arab casualties. According to the agency’s figures, the number of wounded in the Gaza Strip, where the agency runs refugee camps, was 19 in July, numbered 103 in August and has totaled more than 170 so far this month. The aid agency has yet to compile figures for the West Bank.

“We have complained in written and verbal form and gotten no response,” said Bernard Mills, who heads the relief agency in the Gaza Strip. “A plastic bullet is a live bullet, because it penetrates your body. It actually goes in. It does not bounce off. It penetrates into your bowels and actually kills you.”

‘Secondary Importance’

Rabin dismissed the complaints as being of “secondary importance.”

Rabin, who is a former prime minister, said that gradual progress has been made in breaking down the intifada . He noted that demonstrations have diminished in scale and asserted that the world media are paying less attention to the disturbances.

The army is taking “initiated action” to break the back of the uprising by entering towns and villages and sweeping protesters into custody, he said.