The Israel Defense Forces (IDF)'s practice of using Palestinian civilians as "human shields" in arrest raids is illegal, Israeli Supreme Court ruled Thursday.

In response to petitions by human rights groups, Chief Justice Aharon Barak said the practice violates international law, Ha' aretz daily reported on its online edition.

During mass arrest raids in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, the IDF has in the past forced Palestinian civilians to approach the homes and hideouts of wanted people. In some of these cases, the civilians were caught in crossfire and were wounded or killed.

The Supreme Court had already issued an interim order against the practice after the Association for Civil Rights in Israel and the Adallah human rights organization submitted their petition two and a half years ago.

Source: Xinhua