War Crimes In Gaza?
Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Eli Yishai said:
We must blow Gaza back to the Middle Ages destroying all the infrastructure including roads & water.
(And see this.)
Destroying civilian infrastructure is – of course – a war crime under the Geneva Convention.
The following are also war crimes under the Geneva Convention:
- The indiscriminate or disproportionate use of force
- Collective punishment for the acts of a few
- Targeting civilians
Targeted assassinations – such as Israeli’s recent assassination of a Hamas leader – are also likely war crimes.
Indeed, Israeli’s alleged policy of intentionally reducing caloric intake by Palestinians living in Gaza – if real – would be a a years-long, systemic and continuous war crime. (Israel has also restricted access to medicine to the residents of Gaza.)
Likewise, Israeli’s use of white phosphorous during “Operation Cast Lead”, and its alleged use of the substance this week – if proven – would also constitute a war crime. Specifically, Israel ratified Protocol III of Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (“Protocol III”) – which outlaws the use of incendiary devices in war – in 2007.
Moreover, the 1925 Geneva Protocol (which is different from Protocol III) prohibits “the use in war of asphyxiating, poisonous or other gases”. The U.S. National Safety Council states that “White phosphorus is a poison . . . If its combustion occurs in a confined space, white phosphorus will remove the oxygen from the air and render the air unfit to support life . . . It is considered a dangerous disaster hazard because it emits highly toxic fumes. The EPA has listed white phosphorus as a Hazardous Air Pollutant. Indeed, it is interesting to note that the U.S. previously called white phosphorous a chemical weapon when Saddam used it against the Kurds.
Indeed, the UN has repeatedly found Israeli’s actions in Gaza to be a war crime. See this, this and this. The current campaign certainly includes war crimes as well.
Club Med: built on skulls and bones hotels. Who but the insane could enjoy that?
Time for the Arab world to step up and destroy that malignant cancer of Isntreal.
What is pakelert becoming ? An apologist for islamic hatred of Israel. What about the constant irrationally skewed biased rubbish against civilized israelis legitimately defending their fellow countrymen from Hamas murderous cowards. Is yr article written to appease islamic extremists…pathetically onesided.