Examining the use of the “HABSORAH” System, Used to Propose Targets for Military Attacks | Association for Civil Rights in Israel
According to various army publications and journalistic investigations, the military employs artificial intelligence systems in the context of the war in the Gaza Strip. According to the reports, one system, called “HASBORAH,” is capable of generating attack targets at a high rate using an algorithm…
Examining the use of the "HABSORAH" System, Used to Propose Targets for Military Attacks | Association for Civil Rights in Israel top of pageSkip to Main ContentDonate Membership עב|عرAboutAbout usPresident and Board of DirectorsIACActivitiesHuman Rights EducationIn The Knesset Legal WorkIn the MediaPublicationsLectures and Workshops ArchiveNewsletterIssues on the AgendaOur ImpactWar 2023Arab Minority RightsCOVID-19 and Human RightsDue ProcessThe Six NGOsEast Jerusalem Equality and Anti-Racism Freedom of ExpressionHuman Rights in the Digital Age Refugees & Asylum SeekersShrinking Democratic SpaceThe Occupied TerritoriesThe Right to Electricity The Right to HealthArchive Negev Bedouins and Unrecognized VillageContact UsACRI OfficesPublic HotlineACRIDec 92 min readExamining the use of the "HABSORAH" System, Used to Propose Targets for Military AttacksAccording to various army publications and journalistic investigations, the military employs artificial intelligence systems in the context of the war in the Gaza Strip. According to the reports, one system, called "HASBORAH," is capable of generating attack targets at a high rate using an algorithm that extracts intelligence data from a wide range of sources. The system processes the information and proposes attack targets, which are then approved by a human authority based on the system's recommendations. The army disclosed its use of artificial intelligence two years ago, and in the current war, it updated the public that it relies on the "HASBORAH" system.On December 10, 2023, we sent legal correspondence (Hebrew) to the Chief Military Prosecutor and filed a Freedom of Information request (Hebrew) regarding the use of the system. Attorney Gil Gan-Mor, Director of the Civil and Social Rights Units, highlighted the difficulty in relying on artificial intelligence systems for making sensitive decisions that involve severe violations of human rights. Among other concerns, artificial intelligence systems are prone to biases, and their "conclusions" are received as a black box, without a human authority having the ability to monitor the system's operation and justify its recommendations.Despite this, we requested to disclose all relevant information about the "HASBORAH" system that can be made public. From the Chief Military Prosecutor, we requested an urgent examination of the system and the use of artificial intelligence for decision-making regarding attack targets. We specifically asked to examine how the system aligns with the obligations imposed on the IDF by both Israeli and international law. We also inquired if there are any biases that may lead to incorrect targeting and cause severe harm to uninvolved civilians.Legal Work•Human Rights in the Digital Age•War 2023Recent PostsSee AllThe Judicial Overhaul in the Shadow of the War: Attack on Democracy and Human Rights ContinuesAllow Palestinians with a Family Unification Permit to Enter Jerusalem Through the Shu'afat CheckpointUnprecedented Settler Violence Against Palestinians in the West BankArchiveArab Minority Rights Due Process Freedom of Expression East Jerusalem Equality and Anti-Racism Refugees & Asylum Seekers Shrinking Democratic Space The Occupied Territories The Right to HealthTel Aviv Headquarters Nahalat Binyamin 75, Tel Aviv 65154 Israel Phone: +972-3-5608185 Fax: +972-3-5608165 E-Mail: [email protected] Jerusalem Branch 15 Yad Harutsim St, Talpiot, Jerusalem Postal Address: PO Box 53262, Jerusalem 9153102, Israel Phone: +972-2-6521218 Fax: +972-2-6521219 Nazareth Branch Street Address: 3030/5 Rd. Postal Address: P.O. Box 51070, Nazareth 16072, Israel Phone: +972-4-8526333/4/5 Fax: +972-4-8526331Terms of Use Privacy Accessibility Website design: Studio Lee&Tamar, Itai Raveh Resist the regime change and defend Israel's democracyDonate Now bottom of page ESCYou can use the keyboard arrows to navigate between the component buttonsESCCloseKeyboard NavShift+AStop BlinksShift+BMonochromeShift+CSepiaShift+DHigh ContrastShift+EBlack & YellowShift+FInvertShift+GHighlights TitlesShift+HHighlights LinksShift+ITooltipShift+JTooltip VisibleShift+KReadable FontsShift+LIncrease FontShift+MDecrease FontShift+NZoom IncreaseShift++Zoom DecreaseShift+PWhite CursorShift+QBlack CursorShift+RReader ViewShift+WResetAlt+PStatementAlt+QReport usAlt+RPowered by