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Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Hezbollah accused of committing war crimes against Israel: Amnesty
2006-09-14
Lebanese militants broke international humanitarian law by firing thousands of rockets into Israel and killing dozens of civilians during the recent conflict, an Amnesty International report charged Thursday. The human rights group called for a United Nations inquiry into war crimes possibly committed by both Israel and Hezbollah, but their report focused on the actions of the Lebanese militants during the 34-day conflict.

Hezbollah launched nearly 4,000 rockets into northern Israel in July and August, killing at least 150 Israelis, including 39 civilians. The firing of rockets into urban areas in northern Israel disregarded international laws that call for distinction between civilian and military targets, Amnesty said. "Targeting civilians is a war crime. There's no gray area," said Larry Cox, Amnesty's executive director in the United States.

Although Hezbollah denies targeting Israeli civilians, it fired inaccurate rockets packed with thousands of metal ball bearings that sprayed out to maximize harm to civilians, Amnesty said. The report is Amnesty's most extensive condemnation of Hezbollah since the conflict began in July, and comes after Amnesty accused Israel of violating international law with indiscriminate and disproportionate attacks on civilian targets in Lebanon. The human rights group previously called on the Lebanese militia to release two kidnapped Israeli soldiers and abstain from targeting civilians.
Posted by:Fred

#9  By the far the more important was HB's systematic placement of non-combatants at risk in Lebanon by deliberate basing of military activities (the rocket firings in question) amongst protected persons (and use of protected sites like schools/hospitals etc. for military facilities like command posts and munitions stores).

Bing-effing-go, Verlaine. The anti-civilian nature of Hezbollah's attacks are run-of-the-mill and very well known. In other words, nothing new or controversial. The way Hezbollah intentionally threw Lebanese civilians into the Israeli meat-grinder is what stinks here. Funny how the spotlight missed that little gem.

they deliberately pulled their punches in order to preserve their ability to slander Israel.

Sure looks like, doesn't it, Ptah.
Posted by: Zenster   2006-09-14 16:42  

#8  They avoided mentioning the firing of those missiles from within civilian areas as war crimes, because that would have vitiated any accusations of war crimes against the Israelis. In short, they deliberately pulled their punches in order to preserve their ability to slander Israel.
Posted by: Ptah   2006-09-14 14:48  

#7  But most importantly, they decided to focus on the comparatively minor war-crime. By the far the more important was HB's systematic placement of non-combatants at risk in Lebanon by deliberate basing of military activities (the rocket firings in question) amongst protected persons (and use of protected sites like schools/hospitals etc. for military facilities like command posts and munitions stores).

THIS is the key war crime in question - and arguably the far more serious, under Geneva and other rules of war (attackers must only use deliberation and balance military gain against cost to protected persons/places in launching attacks, so the attacks on Israel were in some cases colorable as military in objective). But focusing on HB's most egregious violations would, of course, completely negate AI's and others' cases against Israel (which are poor on their own merits, see parenthetic comment preceding). All of the attention and condemnation - rightly - would be directed at HB's behavior in Lebanon which compelled Israel to launch attacks with unavoidable damage to non-combatants.

The infrastructure attacks by Israel outside the south are another matter (though probably quite defensible on military grounds). But HB's systematic and egregious violations - which subjected its own civilian population to risk and suffering - those are obviously the outstanding war crime issue of the conflict, and yet AI and others studiously avoid it.

Where's that surprise meter??
Posted by: Verlaine in Iraq   2006-09-14 13:57  

#6  Day late and dollar short. Took them way too long to figure out they pissed off some big donors when they only went after Israel when the bullets and rockets were flying.
Posted by: Chulet Throsh6262   2006-09-14 13:17  

#5  Damn...I should always keep my 'Super 3D Nuclear Surprise Meter (tm)' on me at all times...
Posted by: SHaKeY STeVe   2006-09-14 09:28  

#4  Call me cynical, but I think they are just doing it to provide cover for their next 100 blasts at Israel.
Posted by: Swamp Blondie   2006-09-14 06:45  

#3  Hey look on the bright side it's a change from what we expected.

Let me guess ZERO media coverage?
Posted by: Bright Pebbles in Blairistan   2006-09-14 05:57  

#2  It's a pity nobody's going to do a damn thing about it because, sadly, there isn't really a throat to wrap your fingers around. Of course, Amnesty (and the UN) are perfectly aware of that. They only like to attack groups and states that are not going to attack them. Maybe Amnesty and the UN needs their own armies so they can grow some balls.
Posted by: gorb   2006-09-14 02:00  

#1  CYA time for "Amnesty". I still don't trust them. Israel is their favorite whipping boy...
Posted by: borgboy   2006-09-14 00:04  

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