Palestinian rioters. Photo: Wikipedia.

The Israel Police has relaxed its restrictions on the use of live fire against rioters, Israeli news website Walla reported on Sunday.

According to the new directives, if an officer is confronted with rioters shooting fireworks, tossing Molotov cocktails or hurling stones or rocks at close range with slingshots, he or she is permitted to use live fire to neutralize the danger. This is only allowed, however, “when there is a real danger of harm, death or injury to a person’s body.”

Police sources told Walla that in spite of the fact that the use of live fire is still a last resort, the new directives are a necessary adaptation of the old rules due to the life-threatening situations Israeli personnel have faced during the current wave of Palestinian violence.