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Israel Accused of War Crimes
(BBC News, 23 August 2006)
Amnesty International has accused Israel of committing war crimes by deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure in Lebanon. . . . The human rights group says attacks on homes, bridges, roads and water and fuel plants were an "integral part" of Israel's strategy in the recent war. . . . The group also calls for a UN investigation into whether both Israel and Hezbollah broke humanitarian law. . . . In a report released on Wednesday, Amnesty International bases its accusations on an examination of Israeli attacks and comments made by Israeli officials during the 34-day conflict with the militant group Hezbollah. . . . "The pattern, scope and scale of the attacks makes Israel's claim that this was 'collateral damage', simply not credible," said Kate Gilmore, Executive Deputy Secretary General of Amnesty International. . . . The document details what it describes as "massive destruction by Israeli forces of whole civilian neighbourhoods and villages", together with attacks on bridges "in areas of no apparent strategic importance", on its list of supporting evidence. . . . It also says Israel targeted supermarkets, water pumping stations and water treatment plants, which may have broken a prohibition in humanitarian law against targeting objects crucial to civilian survival. . . . The report lists Israeli statements - such as comments made by Israeli Chief of Staff Lt Gen Dan Halutz that "nothing is safe [in Lebanon], as simple as that" - to support its claims. . . . Ms Gilmore said Israel's claims that attacks on infrastructure were lawful was "manifestly wrong". . . . "Many of the violations identified in our report are war crimes, including indiscriminate and disproportionate attacks," said Ms Gilmore. . . . The human rights organisation said it would look into Hezbollah's attacks on Israel separately. . . . About 1,000 Lebanese - most civilians - died in the conflict, while 161 Israelis, mainly soldiers, were killed.

posted by Lorenzo 4:44 AM