Russia Stands With Putin Over Ukraine Gamble

President Vladimir Putin asked his parliament for permission to use Russian troops in Ukraine, but the result was never in doubt.

His senate voted unanimously in favour with almost palpable glee, applauding themselves as they did.

Where much of the international community sees a leader dangerously poised on the verge of annexing Crimea, his supporters see much to like.

The case that Mr Putin is making is one that resonates well in Russia: that he is being forced to act to protect the lives of Russian citizens, compatriots, and Russian armed forces in Ukraine.

In other words, that he is defending Russian national interests and lives.

That much of the rest of the world considers those interests to be part of the sovereign territory of Ukraine is not necessarily a problem for Russia.

In Moscow, the state propaganda machine is already in overdrive, dismissing Oleksandr Turchynov as the "self-imposed president" and dismissing the mass protest movement as extremists and armed gangs.

Mr Putin has made his case and he will likely stick to it: that a legitimately-elected president has been overthrown and Russian citizens are under threat.

Mr Putin is ignoring international opinion to defend Russia's interests

And there are ever-increasing numbers of them to protect. An estimated 143,000 Ukrainians have been issued with Russian passports in the last two weeks, including members of the Berkut riot police.

The old Kremlin tactic of passport politics seems to be alive and flourishing in Ukraine.

The next 24 hours will see the inevitable volley of stern diplomatic warnings and rhetoric from all sides, but Moscow will be scrutinising all those words for any real threat of action, and so far there is not much to fear.

One commentator characterised US President Barack Obama's latest statement on Ukraine as: "Stop, or I'll say stop again."

The US has now paused preparations for this summer's Russian-hosted G8 summit.

Mr Putin does not respond to threats of condemnation. He has never sought approval, just respect.

He wants Russia to be seen as a great superpower once again, and himself as its strongman president.

If that means playing the bad cop in the West and weathering a diplomatic storm, he probably will not lose much sleep.

For Russia, this is about more than just the loss of Ukraine joining the EU. It's about Europe, Nato - the old Cold War bogeyman of the West - advancing right up to the Russian border, and Moscow does not like that at all.

Mr Putin wants to defend his sphere of influence and the national interest. They count for much more in the Kremlin than whether Mr Obama does or does not come to Sochi for G8.

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Ukraine: Gangs 'Smuggle Weapons Into Crimea'

We travelled by road from the Ukrainian capital Kiev to Crimea in the far south.

The journey takes you through endless farmland, ploughed fields of the famous black earth and soviet monuments to the fallen of the Second World War.

As we approached the border we were stopped at a checkpoint by unidentified armed men in combat fatigues.

At first they tried to grab our camera, but Sky News' Moscow bureau cameraman, Vadim Nechaev, managed to talk them around.

They searched our car and wanted to take our body armour - we could see several of the guards already sporting 'press' flak jackets, new press helmets in hand.

Our team is usually based in Russia and our foreign ministry accreditation seemed to help - eventually they were persuaded to allow us in and they decided they wanted to show us their side of the story instead.

Katie Stallard was stopped at the border

They describe themselves as 'peaceful citizens' - local volunteers providing security against what they claim is a coup being perpetrated by 'fascists and thugs'.

"I'm from Sevastopol I'm a peaceful citizen, I'm a pensioner," one guard told us.

"I'm just making sure that everything is in order here at the entrance to Crimea, that no-one is smuggling anything that could turn our Crimea into another Maidan (Kiev's Independence Square)."

They took us to see a stockpile of weapons they claim they have seized from cars on the way into Crimea.

They showed us shotguns, hunting rifles, axes, and ammunition, along with a photo they say shows a sniper in army fatigues.

Evidence, they insist of armed gangs from Kiev.

Some of the weapons seized by the militia

A masked man told us: "I am asking you please look at this. I think these barbarians and Nazis, these nationalists, were trying and are still trying to turn our Slavic world into hell."

As we were filming we saw a man and woman being forced out of their car at gunpoint - the guards claimed they had found rifles.

The woman was crying, the man was handcuffed.

It is not clear what they planned to do with them.

Some of the guards were Cossacks from Kuban in southern Russia.

They told us they had come to help their countrymen fight against fascists and thugs.

"This is the land of our ancestors," their leader told us, "who spilled their blood in the Second World War."

"Now the fascists are on the rise again and we are here to show that it's not going to work."

They were flying the Russian flag from the checkpoint and we saw an empty Russian army truck leave their camp, but they insisted they were not acting on orders from Moscow.

They said the Kremlin should send troops to help them fight, to defend Russian citizens' rights.

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Ukraine Accuses Russia Of Declaring War

Ukraine's leader has accused Russia of declaring war on his country and warned the nation was on the "brink of disaster".

Appealing to the international community for help Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk said: "This is the red alert, this is not a threat, this is actually a declaration of war to my country."

Ukraine has mobilised its military and called up all its reserves after Russia gave the go-ahead to send more troops into the country, in what has become the biggest confrontation between Moscow and the West since the Cold War.

It came as it was warned the deepening crisis is just "a pace away from catastrophe", where the smallest act could take it "over the edge".

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Pistorius 'In Love' With Reeva: Exclusive

Reeva Steenkamp: The Girl Behind The Name

Updated: 2:00pm UK, Friday 28 February 2014

Reeva Steenkamp was born in the South African city of Cape Town in August 1983, to horse trainer Barry Steenkamp and his second wife, June.

The family later moved to Port Elizabeth where she and her siblings grew up.

She attended St Dominic's Priory High School and, at the age of 15, entered a beauty competition organised through her local newspaper where she was spotted by the paper's then beauty editor, Barbara Robertson

"She was 15, and a young 15," Ms Robertson told Sky News.

"There was nothing sophisticated about her. She was sweet, down to earth, earthy ... just one of those girls who had the 'it' factor ... a little bit (of an) early Kate Moss."

While friends speak of an ultimate desire to marry and have a family, the young woman always expected to enjoy a career of her own.

She took a law degree in case her modelling career did not work out.

But the modelling side took off and the gauche, unsophisticated girl from Port Elizabeth moved on to Johannesburg to seek her success.

Originally a brunette, Steenkamp dyed her hair blonde and soon after broke into the glossy world of magazine modelling.

She made the cover of FHM but, said Ms Robertson, the model remained true to herself.

"The front pages made out she was this brazen blonde with boobs hanging out," she said in an interview with The Guardian.

"She was more than a model. She was Reeva. She had studied law at university. I don't think she was seeking bright lights and fame and fortune.

"She was spreading her wings. If she got noticed, what's wrong with that? It doesn't make her a celeb-seducer."

While she continued modelling and was popular on South Africa's A-list circuit, Steenkamp's legal ambitions appeared to resurface.

The future looked bright as she applied to the Bar in 2011, hoping to qualify as a legal advocate by 2013.

Her TV career also looked promising, with a part in a reality TV show Tropika Island of Treasure that looked likely to lead to further opportunities in her professional life.

In November 2012, she began going out with Oscar Pistorius and the couple were said to be deeply in love.

Three months later, Reeva Steenkamp was dead.

:: Sky News will have live coverage of the trial from Monday, with a special highlights programme at 9.30pm.

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Russia Shows Its Muscle As Crimea Breaks Away

Whatever the government in Ukraine says or does, events on the ground suggest that Crimea has already for all intents and purposes broken away; certainly Kiev's orders no longer stretch as far as this region.

Unidentified gunmen have taken over the parliament and the region's main airports in the space of twenty four hours.

They would not answer when I questioned them and asked if they had been sent by Moscow.

In many ways it did not matter - their appearance pretty much gave the game away.

They carried Kalashnikovs, they spoke Russian and their combat fatigues looked suspiciously like Russian issue - albeit without insignia.

The way they moved and patrolled the airports suggested too that this was no dad's army but a well-trained unit doing a professional job.

At times as they stomped up and down ostentatiously it seemed as though they were there just for the cameras.

It was perhaps a signal from the Kremlin that it could put its men on the ground whenever it wanted and there was nothing anyone else could do.

It was a projection of power and reach.

Elsewhere images were captured of Russian helicopters flying into the airport at Sevastopol: yet another direct challenge to the authority of the government in Kiev.

The acting interior minister called the action an invasion and an occupation.

Moscow denies that it has violated Ukrainian sovereignty - officially at least it says it respects its neighbour's borders.

But the pro-European government setting itself up in Kiev is seen as a threat by Moscow.

Ukraine has always been viewed by the Russian ruling elite as part of its sphere of influence.

Moscow may have lost the Western part of Ukraine (for now?) but you can bet it will not allow the same thing to happen in the south and the eastern parts of the country.

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Ukraine Says Russia Has Sent In 6,000 Troops

Ukraine's Defence Minister says Moscow has sent 6,000 troops into the country, as it was confirmed Russian soldiers are on the streets in the southeastern region of Crimea.

The country's military are on high alert amid the deepening crisis, with reports Russian forces are trying to seize control of an anti-aircraft missile base.

The pro-Moscow Prime Minister of Crimea Sergei Aksenov, who appealed to Russia for help in keeping the peace there, has confirmed service personnel from the Black Sea Fleet, which is based in the Crimean city of Sevastopol, were guarding key buildings.

Russian soldiers are guarding buildings in Crimea it has been confirmed

And in an apparent orchestrated move, a referendum on whether residents in Crimea want greater independence from Ukraine has been brought forward by two months to March 30.

Russia's Foreign Ministry has also claimed there had been an overnight attempt by "unidentified gunmen sent from Kiev" to seize the offices of Crimea's interior ministry.

It said in a statement: "As a result of the treacherous provocation, there are wounded.

"With decisive actions by self-defence groups, the attempt to seize the interior ministry building was averted.

"This confirms the desire of prominent political circles in Kiev to destabilise the peninsula."

After unrest in Kiev, tensions have shifted to the Crimea region

Russia's Lower House of Parliament, the Duma, has called on President Vladimir Putin "to take measures to stabilise the situation in Crimea".

US President Barack Obama has warned Moscow that any military intervention in Ukraine would be "deeply destabilising".

It came after armed men, suspected of being Russian soldiers, took control of key airports and other sites in Crimea.

Russian helicopter gunships have also been seen in Ukrainian airspace.

A soldier stands next to a sign that says: "Crimea Russia"

Ukraine's Prime Minister said his country would not be drawn into a military conflict by Russian "provocations", and appealed to Moscow to halt military movements in the region.

Arseny Yatseniuk said: "It is unacceptable when armoured Russian military vehicles are out in the centre of Ukrainian towns."

Mr Obama has called on Russia to respect the independence and territory of Ukraine.

"Any violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity would be deeply destabilising," he said.

"The United States will stand with the international community in affirming that there will be costs for any military intervention in Ukraine."

A man holds a Soviet Navy flag next to an armed patrol in Simferopol

British Foreign Secretary William Hague will visit the country on Sunday and hold talks with Ukraine's new leaders.

Crimea has become a flashpoint for tensions between Russia and Ukraine after the overthrow of President Viktor Yanukovych, a Moscow ally, following months of protests which escalated into deadly violence.

Ukraine's population is divided in loyalties between Russia and the West, with much of western Ukraine advocating closer ties with the European Union while eastern and southern regions look to Russia for support.

Crimea has 2.3 million inhabitants, most of whom identify themselves as ethnic Russians and speak Russian.

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Pistorius At Gun Range: Exclusive Pictures

Blade Runner's Best Friend's Call

Updated: 8:24pm UK, Sunday 17 February 2013

The best friend of Oscar Pistorius has told how the athlete rang him the night his girlfriend was shot and said: "I've killed my Baba. God take me away."

Justin Divaris, who introduced Reeva Steenkamp to the South African gold medallist, said Pistorius was crying down the phone and admitted he had shot the 29-year-old model.

Mr Divaris, 27, said: "Oscar called me at 3.55am saying that Reeva had been shot. I said to him, 'What are you talking about? I don't understand you'.

"He then repeated himself - 'There has been a terrible accident. I shot Reeva'."

Mr Divaris told the Sunday People that he then spoke to a neighbour who was also in the house, who warned: "She's not OK. You need to get here."

By the time he arrived at Pistorius' house on a gated estate in Pretoria, the double amputee was already being held by police.

He could see Miss Steenkamp's body inside the house at the bottom of the stairs, covered in blankets and towels.

Pistorius - nicknamed the Blade Runner due to his high-tech artificial limbs - was being detained in the garage, and was crying and repeating himself incoherently.

The 26-year-old appeared in court on Friday accused of premeditated murder over the shooting on Valentine's Day.

His agent, Peet van Zyl, said he had cancelled all the races in which the South African athlete had been "contracted to compete in".

Speaking of sponsors, Mr van Zyl said all parties had been supportive and contractual commitments would be maintained.

Pistorius is being held in custody and his family has said he denies murder in the strongest possible terms.

Miss Steenkamp's father Barry has also now spoken publicly for the first time and said he does not hate Pistorius for what happened.

He told The Mail on Sunday he was struggling "to find some reason why this happened to our lovely daughter".

Talking about Pistorius, he said: "He must be going through things that we don't know about. There is no hatred in our hearts."

He said he and his wife June were "at a complete loss," adding: "June is inconsolable. We just need to find some answers.

"Reeva was the most beautiful, kind girl in the world. She had love for everyone and was loved by everyone who knew her."

Mr Steenkamp said he had never met Pistorius but his wife had occasionally spoken to him on the phone.

The athlete's own father Henke has also spoken out, saying his son must have acted "on instinct".

Mr Pistorius said he has "zero doubt" that it was a tragic accident and said he believes she was mistaken for an intruder.

His family is behind him "heart and soul" and will do "whatever needs to be done" to help him clear his name, he told The Sunday Telegraph.

Their comments came after a reality show featuring Miss Steenkamp was broadcast despite controversy over its airing.

Tropika Island of Treasures showed the model laughing and joking with her fellow contestants and swimming with dolphins.

In an interview, the model - who was also the face of cosmetics giant Avon in South Africa - spoke about the importance of leaving a positive mark in life.

She said: "I think the way that you go out, not just your journey in life, but the way that you go out and the way you make your exit is so important.

"You either made an impact in a positive or a negative way, but just maintain integrity and maintain class and just remain true to yourself."

Pistorius became an international icon after becoming the first double amputee to compete in the Olympics last year. He also won a gold medal in the Paralympics.

He had both of his legs amputated below the knee when he was less than a year old and had campaigned for years to be allowed to compete on an equal level.

The athlete will be back in court on Tuesday when his lawyers are expected to attempt to get his charge downgrade and argue for his release on bail.

His girlfriend's funeral is scheduled for the same day.

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Russia Denies Blocking Airport In Crimea

Russia has denied its forces are blocking an airport in Sevastopol, in Ukraine's Crimea region.

Armed men have also been seen patrolling the perimeter at the Simferopol airport. They claim they are trying to stop radicals from arriving in Kiev.

Earlier Ukraine's interior minister accused Russian forces of staging an "armed invasion" in Crimea.

An armed man patrols at the airport in Simferopol in Crimea

Arsen Avakov claimed Russian forces had blocked one military air base and entered an airport overnight on the Black Sea peninsula.

The accusation comes a day after dozens of pro-Moscow gunmen seized government buildings in the Crimean capital of Simferopol.

These included the regional parliament, which subsequently voted to hold a referendum on May 25 to expand the region's autonomy from Kiev.

Mr Kerry called on Russia to work with the US

"I consider what is happening to be an armed invasion and an occupation," Mr Avakov wrote in a statement on his Facebook page.

Meanwhile, Ukraine's acting president has dismissed the head of the country's armed forces.

Admiral Yuriy Ilyin had been appointed at the height of protests against President Viktor Yanukovich, who was ousted last Saturday.

Russian forces have been accused of an 'occupation' and 'invasion'

No reason was given for his dismissal in a brief statement on the presidential website.

It has also emerged that Swiss prosecutors have launched a money-laundering probe against Mr Yanukovych and his son Aleksander.

Ukraine will ask Russia to extradite the ousted president if it is confirmed that he is in Russia, the general prosecutor's office said this morning.

Mr Yanukovych is expected to make a televised statement this lunch time.

Russia earlier reaffirmed its pledge to "respect the territorial integrity of Ukraine", despite placing fighter jets on combat alert along the countries' shared border.

The pledge came after US Secretary of State John Kerry spoke to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov amid ongoing tension in Ukraine.

Mr Kerry sought assurances from Mr Lavrov that Russia would work with the United States to create unity in Ukraine.

The parliament building has been seized in Simferopol

"I asked specifically that Russia work with the United States and our friends and allies in order to support Ukraine to rebuild unity, security and a healthy economy," Mr Kerry told reporters.

Mr Lavrov reaffirmed President Vladimir Putin's statement that Russia "will respect the territorial integrity of Ukraine," Mr Kerry added.

Mr Lavrov also denied that Moscow had any hand in the takeover of government buildings in the Crimea, over which a Russian flag was hoisted on Thursday.

Mr Lavrov says Russia will respect Ukraine's territorial integrity

The White House has reinforced its warnings to Russia that it must avoid "miscalculations" in military drills along the border of Ukraine.

The comments appeared to reflect Washington's concern that Russian manoeuvres near the ex-Soviet state could trigger events which may get out of control.

Mr Kerry said his Russian counterpart had assured him that the exercises were long-planned and had nothing to do with the fast-moving events in Ukraine.

Ousted Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has announced that he will hold a press conference today in the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don.

Mr Yanukovych has reportedly been spotted in a luxury five-star hotel and spa outside Moscow, in an exclusive enclave favoured by Russia's super-rich.

The 63-year-old fugitive, who is wanted in Ukraine on charges of mass murder after police opened fire on demonstrators, released a statement on Thursday insisting he is still president.

Mr Yanukovych and his government are facing charges of stripping Ukraine's coffers bare before they were toppled from power.

Shortly before being appointed as head of the crisis-hit country's national unity government, Arseny Yatseniuk said $37bn (£22bn) had disappeared in an "unknown direction", while $70bn (£42bn) had been siphoned out of the economy into offshore accounts.

But Russia has questioned the legitimacy of the new Ukrainian authorities and has pledged to defend the rights of its "compatriots".

Crimea is an autonomous republic in the south of Ukraine, around 500 miles from the capital Kiev.

There have been mounting signs of separatism in the region, which has strong ties to Moscow and where the majority of the population are Russian speakers.

Meanwhile, Ukraine central bank governor Stepan Kubiv has said that the bank will limit foreign currency withdrawals from banking deposits to 15,000 hryvnia (about £898) per day.

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'Boiler Room Fraud' Smashed In Police Raids

Suspected fraudsters who led extravagant lifestyles like Leonardo DiCaprio's character in hit film The Wolf Of Wall Street by conning victims out of millions of pounds have been targeted in an international clampdown.

Police swooped in a series of raids stretching from London and Barcelona to the US and Serbia in a move to smash the so-called boiler room fraud, where investors are duped into buying worthless or non-existent shares.

A total of 110 alleged fraudsters were held in what was one of the biggest anti-fraud operations ever staged.

To date, 850 British victims, many of them pensioners and one of whom killed themselves after being defrauded, have been identified.

They lost a total of around £15m - ranging from between £2,000 and £500,000 per person - but police believe this figure is only "the tip of the iceberg" and suspect thousands more people may have been duped.

A suspect's lavish home in Marbella, Spain. Pic: City of London Police

The operation, which was two years in the making, saw 40 officers from City of London Police join 300 of their Spanish counterparts from the Policia Nacional to target a number of organised crime gangs.

It aimed to take out criminal kingpins, as well as scores of conmen who work for them, including lawyers, money launderers and financiers.

The alleged fraudsters spent their ill-gotten gains on sports cars, designer watches, drugs and prostitutes.

One of the suspects was believed to have been paying £40,000 per month to rent an apartment.

An Aston Martin and Ferrari were among the cars seized by police, along with various watches and £500,000 in cash.

One suspect wrapped watches around his slippers

The raids took place earlier this week, but can only now be revealed after a reporting ban was lifted by a Spanish judge.

Speaking near the site of one of the searches in Barcelona on Tuesday, City of London Police Commander Steve Head said: "You see real victims in real communities whose lives have been devastated. Savings that they thought they could rely on in their old age have gone in a heartbeat."

He added: "These people have no conscience in terms of what they do to people's lives. This is not at all a victimless crime. We've seen lives that have been utterly devastated.

"We have dismantled an international network of fraudsters. Make no mistake, this will make a difference to the ability of fraudsters to operate at this level.

"This network has been dismantled, hopefully we have sent a message to those who think that it's an easy crime that it doesn't matter where you are, we will come after you."

Expensive cars including a Ferrari and an Aston Martin were confiscated

In total, the international team executed 35 warrants on offices from where the fraud is said to have been run, as well as the alleged criminals' luxury homes.

The operation closed down 14 boiler rooms in Spain, two in the UK and one in Serbia.

As well as the fraud, the gangs were also allegedly involved in drug dealing, money laundering and gun crime.

Most of the suspects targeted are British and a main group is expected to be extradited back to the UK to face trial.

Commissioner Jose Luis Andre Vega from the Spanish national police, said: "This sort of crime knows no frontiers or boundaries. It's important to investigate this sort of organised crime on an international level."

Of the 110 arrests, there were 84 in Spain, 20 in the UK, two in the United States and four in Serbia, with most of the suspects arrested on suspicion of money laundering and fraud offences.

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US and EU Urged To Halt Weapon Sales To Israel

By Tom Rayner, Middle East News Editor

The US and EU governments must suspend all supplies of crowd-control "weapons and devices" to Israel until the country reigns in its use of force against Palestinians on the West Bank, a report has demanded

In the report "Trigger Happy: Israel's Use of Excessive Force on the West Bank", Amnesty International criticises what it calls Israel's "callous disregard for human life" in its handling of Palestinian protests against occupation.

It points to an increase in the number of Palestinians killed by Israeli forces - with 27 people killed last year, in comparison to eight in 2012 and 10 in 2011, according to figures from the UN.

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) say the report "wholly ignores the substantial increase in Palestinian violence initiated over the past year".

However, Amnesty International claims in all the cases it investigated, it found no evidence to suggest those killed were posing a "direct and immediate threat" to the lives of the Israeli forces - a key criteria in the UN Basic Principles of the Use of Force and Firearms.

Amnesty's Middle East and North Africa Director Philip Luther said the failure to properly investigate and punish such acts means those responsible were acting with impunity.

"The report presents a body of evidence that shows a harrowing pattern of unlawful killings and unwarranted injuries of Palestinian civilians by Israeli forces in the West Bank.

"If the Israeli authorities wish to prove to the world they are committed to democratic principles and international human rights standards, unlawful killings and unnecessary use of force must stop now.

"The current Israeli system has proved woefully inadequate. It is neither independent nor impartial and completely lacks transparency."

Palestinian-Israeli clashes in Jenin in the West Bank

One case highlighted is that of 16-year-old Samir Awad, from the village of Bordrus near Ramallah, who was shot dead last January.

Accounts collected by Amnesty suggest he had walked into the "no man's land" near the separation barrier which runs through the village, as part of a protest with school friends.

When soldiers shouted at him and fired warning shots in the air the teenager started to run away, but he was hit by three bullets in the leg, shoulder and then in the back of the head.

He was pronounced dead 40 minutes after arriving at Ramallah Hospital.

At the time Israeli media reported statements from a military spokesman claiming force had been used to prevent an "infiltration attempt".

The office of the Military Advocate General opened an investigation, and requested Military Police conduct further inquiries, but as yet the findings have not been released.

Amnesty claims that since 2011 the Military Police Criminal Investigation Division has opened investigations into 24 Palestinians killed in 20 different incidents, but only one so far has resulted in prosecution and conviction of a soldier for unlawful killing.

The report claims the case of Samir Awad is just one example of forces resorting to lethal or less lethal means to crack down on protests and "low-level violence", such as stone-throwing, when there was no direct threat to the lives of the soldiers involved.

Among its recommendations, the report calls on Western governments, including EU member states, to stop sending crowd-control equipment, such as tear gas, stun grenades and rubber-coated metal bullets to Israel, until steps are taken to "achieve accountability for previous violations" and "effective mechanisms" are established to ensure against further violations.

"This recommendation is particular relevant to the USA" the report states, "as the largest foreign source of supply of weapons, munitions, police equipment and military aid to Israel."

The US State Department said they would not comment on the report at this time.

The West Bank was captured by Israel in the Six Day War in 1967

Last year, following the deaths of two young people in the Bethlehem area, the UK government made representations to the Israeli authorities regarding what it described as its "longstanding concerns about the manner in which the IDF polices non-violent protests and the border areas, including use of live ammunition".

Responding to Amnesty's latest report, a spokesperson for the UK Foreign Office said: "To date, we have no evidence of the use of UK manufactured munitions, weapons, or related equipment by the Israeli military forces to commit or facilitate violations of international human rights law or international humanitarian law.

"We will continue to monitor the situation carefully, and ensure that all our licensing decisions remain consistent with our human rights commitments and all applicable criteria.

"We continue to call on Israel to abide by its obligations under international law, including the appropriate use of force by Israeli military forces."

In a statement, a spokesperson for the IDF accused Amnesty of ignoring the "operational challenges" faced by its forces in "containing Palestinian-incited violence" in the West Bank.

"2013 saw a sharp increase in rock hurling incidents, gravely jeopardising the lives of civilians and military personnel.

"132 Israelis were injured during that year alone, almost double the year previous, which is no surprise considering that over 5,000 incidents of rock hurling took place, half of which were towards main roads.

"Sadly, rock throwing and violent demonstrations present only part of the operational challenges posed to the IDF by Palestinian violence in Judea and Samaria. 

"Indeed in 2013 there were 66 further terror attacks which included shootings, the planting of IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices), blunt weapon attacks and the abduction and murder of a soldier."

"The IDF holds itself to the highest of professional standards and trains and equips itself as such. When there is any suspicion of wrong doing, or breach of discipline, the IDF reviews, investigates and takes action where appropriate."

The report concludes by calling on Israel to swiftly implement the recommendations of the Israeli-appointed Turkel Committee - which investigated the IDF's deadly sea raid on the Turkish Mavi Marmara ship in 2010, as it tried to break the maritime blockade of Gaza.

The Turkel Committee concluded that "direct criminal responsibility" should be put on commanders and civilian superiors for violations of law committed by subordinates, and recommended judicial investigations into such incidents should be conducted independently of the military's own operational investigations.

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