Carol, I have never claimed that the Israeli Government was kind and gentle and what I am about to say is in no way condoning their use of torture. It is rather an attempt to explain the mind-set that allows such things to happen.
The Nazis marched millions of Jews to their deaths and they went, for the most part, without protest. It was best, their leaders felt, not to cause trouble, but to go to the "work camps" peacefully. They could not concieve of men so evil that they would murder innocent women and children.
They were wrong.
The Israelis decided early on to whatever was necessary to protect their security so that another Holocaust would never happen again. Considering that they have been under threat of attack from their closest neighbors for all of their existance and have, in fact, beaten off several major attacks over the years from an enemy whose avowed intention has been the total eradication of Israel, I am amazed that they have not been even more excessive than they have.MUST have information about what their enemies are doing and planning.They feel -and rightly so- that their survival as a nation and as a people is at stake. Some of them are willing to stain their souls foreven to insure that this does not happen.
I do not agree with the policy. I feel that it dehumanizes both the victim and the perpetrator.
But I can understand why they are doing it and it saddens me deeply that they should feel that torture is necessary to insure the survival of their country.

troll