NEW YORK -- The recent refusal by 27 high-ranking Israeli Air Force officers to follow superiors' orders that would involve attacking Palestinian civilians signifies a rebuke of the Israeli government's policy of "targeted liquidations." What makes the pilots' decision particularly important is that their declaration of refusal was signed by one general, two colonels, nine lieutenant colonels, eight majors and seven captains. Their action not only underscores the illegality of Israeli government policies on this issue but also questions the "following orders" argument as a justification for a crime.

The Air Force pilots' decision follows a similar action by 500 "refuseniks" among ground troops -- who also refused to carry out military actions that would endanger the lives of innocent Palestinians.

Dozens of innocent bystanders have been killed by pilots' air strikes and hundreds of others have been killed by Israeli Army attacks since the latest intifada began in September 2000. During the "extrajudicial" execution of senior Hamas leader, Sheik Salah Sehada on July 23 last year, 23 Palestinian women, children and elderly were killed, including two entire families.