HRW: Israel targets civilians deliberately

From Human Rights Watch:

Day after day, Israeli government spokesmen insist that everything they are doing accords with international humanitarian law. Endless communiqués insist that Israel's behaviour is "proportionate". Let us be blunt: those claims are fantasy, as the carnage in Qana has shown once again. 

I have seen my share of modern wars, as a researcher at Human Rights Watch. In Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq, we found many civilian casualties due to bombing campaigns. Civilians fleeing attacks were hit by mistake. In Iraq, US bombs often hit civilian homes, hours after Saddam Hussein or members of his inner circle had left, missing their legitimate targets but killing civilians. In Lebanon it is a very different picture. Time after time, Israel strikes at civilian homes and civilian vehicles attempting to flee the besieged southern border zone, killing families without any military objective in sight. 

In an extraordinary, and extraordinarily revealing comment, the Israeli Justice Minister, Haim Ramon, reportedly said, "All those now in south Lebanon are terrorists who are related in some way to Hezbollah." So if you take to the roads to flee, you are a terrorist - who else would travel the southern roads now? And, if you stay at home because the danger is so great, you are also a terrorist. For the innocent civilian, there is literally no way out. 

Take the example of Manal, a 22-year-old housewife, who had just arrived in Beirut when I met her a few days ago. For nearly two weeks, Israeli warplanes struck Manal's border village of Aitaroun, obliterating homes and families. A Canadian-Lebanese family vacationing in the village was killed; the next day, another rocket destroyed a home 100 meters away from Manal's house, killing at least nine members of a family. So many were killed in her village that she finds it difficult to remember all the names. 

When the Israelis dropped leaflets instructing all villages south of the Litani River to evacuate immediately "for your own safety," Manal and dozens of her neighbors set off in three cars, waving white flags. As they left, an Israeli warplane dropped bombs 10 meters in front of and behind the convoy, which raced on. As far too many Lebanese civilians have found, Manal's experience is not exceptional, on the contrary. 

In another case, Israeli forces struck the home of a Shi'a cleric Sheikh Adil Mohammad Akash, who was reportedly affiliated with Hezbollah but without a direct military role. Even if the sheikh had been a fighter, the bomb killed him, his wife, their ten children, and the family's Sri Lankan maid. The ratio of twelve for one reveals Israel's disregard for civilian lives. 

Although mistakes are made in the fog of fighting, the pattern of Israeli behavior in southern Lebanon suggests a deliberate policy. My notebook overflows with reports of civilian deaths, day after day. 

Israel blames Hezbollah for the massive civilian toll in Lebanon, claiming that they are hiding the rockets they are firing at Israel, in civilian homes, and that they are fighting from within the civilian population. This is a convenient excuse. Human Rights Watch has consistently documented Hezbollah's war crimes, including deliberate and indiscriminate attacks on Israeli civilians, as well as the taking of hostages. But our investigations have not found evidence to support Israeli allegations that Hezbollah are intentionally endangering Lebanese civilians by systematically fighting from civilian positions. We can't exclude the possibility that it happens - but time and again villagers tell us that Hezbollah is fighting from the hills. Meanwhile, the homes hit by Israel have only civilians in them. 

The current Israeli actions are not only wrong, but - short of compelling evidence to the contrary, which so far is nowhere to be found - also war crimes. Israel's leaders, and their friends elsewhere in the world, must face up to that truth. 

Peter Bouckaert is Emergencies Director at Human Rights Watch

Comments

[The Perpetual Refugee]

Thank you for bringing this to light.

But I'm sure you're aware that Human Rights Watch is anti-Israel. Anti-semitic. Anti-Olmert. Anti-war crimes. Anti-staying quiet while innocent people die.

I'm sure that covers all the anti-human rights watch comments you'll start receiving.

[helge]

What a bullshit. Sitting in Beirut, taking with "villagers" and making conclusions - not very trustworthy.

[Bad Vilbel]

Yup, Perp. Refugee,

You just about called it. Cue the "Human Rights Watch are anti-Israel" comments in 3, 2, 1...

[Interested Observer]

I'm not going to start claiming anyone is anti-Semetic, but are we all going to ignore the pictures of Hezbollah fighters firing from residential neighborhoods? (Oh, and by the way those fighters are not wearing uniforms, but civilian clothing) Or the pictures of children marching in Hezbollah gear?

[yeah...]

If Israel wanted to target civilians, you'd all be dead. Idiots. Is the best you can do really accusing your enemy of sinking to your level when they aren't? It's hard to target your military effectively when you hide behind children.

[Hassan]

Sorry to interrupt this thread, but can we keep up the thread of the previous post or transfer it over here please.
Thanks.

[An Observer of truth]

Can Israel and Jews do any wrong? Criticise Jews and you become antisemitic and yet the Jews who plan to control everything have stolen Arab land, murdered innocent women and children and are no better than the nazis.

They started this conflict by kidnapping innocent Lebanese. Do they expect the Hizbollah to do nothing?

Furthermore the Israelis and their allies the americans are the biggiest cowards. If they think they are not maybe they should fight the Hizbollah and Hamas on the same footing. They will never do so because they are nothing but cowards.

[Bad Vilbel]

I don't think anyone is disputing that Hezbollah hide and fire from civilian areas. We all know this.
That's not the point being made here and just because we're discussing Israel's attacking civilian convoys (after it asked residents to leave) does NOT have anything to do with whether Hezbollah is hiding among civilians.
Have you people heard of "Two wrongs don't make a right"?

[Rimstalker]

What was the purpose of this post?
and I am not trying to be sarcastic…
Does HRW's announcement give your opinion of Israel's action more creditability? How?
IF HRW would post an announcement: "Israel is great, it’s just trying to defend itself, etc'" - would you change your mind about Israel targeting civilians deliberately? (I am assuming this is what you believe anyway).
Surely you realize it convinces only the convinced - whoever thinks HRW are biased (yes, Perp. refugee, some DO think them biased, and not from today) will only see this announcement as proof of his belief and whoever already thinks Israel is targeting civilians…well you get the point….

rimstalker

[Steve]

ISRAEL VS. ARAB COUNTRIES

21st century vs. middle ages

civilization vs. Backwardness

modern society vs. primitive stone-ages

rationality vs. barbarity

freedom vs. Oppression

democarcy vs. dictatorship

human rights vs. total disregard for human rights

treating woman like human beings vs. treating women like retarded animals

Normal elementary school books vs. distorted jew hating propaganda

Forcing residents into bomb shelters vs. using residents, babies and women as human shields for propaganda gains.

Mothers forbidding thier children to partake in violence vs. mothers sending thier children off to blow themselves up.

Sincere sadness and regeret when innocent civilians are killed vs. rejoicing and dancing in the streets when inccoecnts are killed.

The list goes on and on and on....

The Jews overcame the tragedy of the holocaust and forced the world to respect them, with their knowledge and intellect not their terror. With their contribution to humanity and not their crying and yelling. Humanity owes most of the discoveries and science of the 19th and 20th centuries to Jewsih scientists and that's a proven fact not fiction. 15 million united people scattered throughout the world won their rights through work and knowledge to become a world super power larger and more influential than all the arab nations combined.

4 wars since Israel's founding All won unanimously by Israel (think the arabs feel some animosity and embarassment from that one? hmmmm)

We have never seen a single jew blow himself up in a German restaurant after the Holocaust. Only the muslims defend their beleifs through suicide bombings which they pervertedly call martyrdom for which they will be rewarded by 50 wives. are these people serious. Are they living in reality or some dimented
fantasy world.

Cry, Cry, Cry yell, yell, yell, blame blame, blame is all the muslim arabs have ever been able to do as long as one can remember. They live in total despair, poverty and barbaric societies today because of themselves and their disgusting oppressive leader. It's definitely isn't because of a small tiny Jewish state in the Middle East. The Jews took that tiny piece of marshland and worked it with love and dedication to grow oranges as big as basketballs. If
Palestinians could takeover the marvels that the Jewsish nation has built it would 100% guaranteed turn this developed land back to a complete
and utter swamp. They just don't know any better. I mean just look at how they live in Gaza and the
West Bank. Not one ounce of progress in over thirty years. It's sad.

The Arab muslim world must ask itself what it can do for humankind, what can it contribute to the world in terms of positive evolution before they demand that humankind respect them.

For now, in the words of Ehud Olmert - No Ceasefire.

[Bad Vilbel]

Steve, you're an ass. Go away and play with children your own age...

[Steve]

Truth hurts don't it Vilby.

[R]

The truth does hurt steve, but so do prejudice and racism and a fascist sense of inherent superiority.

[someone]

To steve :

Some arab dictatorships are made by americans ,to set pressure on people ,to protcet the so called "israel".

There was no "Haulocost",USA together with Britain after winning WWII ,decided to get a state in addition to other american states ,in the middle east and call it "israel" in order to expand in the future,and bring the new american middle east,to get free Energy to their economy,that explain why US is ally with "israel,because all american states are somehow allied ,united.

Palestinians ,are not like indians in america, they still believe this american state "israel",is their land ,and even if US put a dictatorship in West Bank ,after Oslo convention in 1993,they rejected this planted dictatorship in West Bank supported by american so called democracy,and now irakian rejecting the planted dictatorship in Iraq,and lebaneses now resuses to turn lebanon as an american dictatorship like Joran and Egypt.

Jews did nothing to develop the new american state in the middle east "israel",it is simply USA developed one of its state like others ,and "olmert" is just a governor of this state,geting budget of its army by US,and use american weapons .

Arabs are not blowing themselves ,this act means ,"i die for my land" ,jews cant do such an act against german restaurants ,because they know germany is for germans.

The 4 wars was won by USA ,and it is obvious that a nuclear country like USA can defeat new countries like Egypt and Syria ,and the Soviet Union supported these arab lands, because they were fighting against the US state ,"israel" ,same when Soviet Union fought USA in CUBA.

The world have no respect for jews,everyone knows that jews are the cause of all wars , and that it is what Mel Gibson said lately,and everyone on earth knows it.

USA is preventing arabs to develop technologies,because this is a danger for USA,because the US Energy (Oil) is in the hand of arabs,and without energy there is no technology or economy.

So you live in USA, and USA is fighting arabs ,by supporting and planting dictatorships ,developing crisis and civil wars in the arab world, like in Lebanon and now in Iraq,in Yemen and trying now in Egypt.

So the war is between United States and Arab states.It is clear :Arabs want Palestine as an arab state,and USA want "israel" as an american state.

USA used the illusion of "haulocost" to use poor jews ,to colonize a part of the middle east for american expansion ,nothing more .
Then use the anti-semitism as to defend american dream of exapansion after WWII , USA still use jews to expand and to go to war "for them", and anti-semitism means anti-american.

About your list , you dont deserve a response, just look at life in american and ask people there,about crimes and women treatment ,amercians people ignorance ,and discrimination of blacks,and the KKK, and how Geroge W.Bush won the elections and how he lied for americans ,and Guantanamo disaster ,Clinton and his secretary ,and how USA went to war on Iraq and broke UN laws and list is long...

[Steve]

I'm not fascist, I'm not racist. I have Lebanese friends and black friends and German friends. What I can't stand are ignorance and a twisted sense of reality. Have we ever seen CNN interview a christian auhentic Lebanese citizen. If we did we would hear him/her how much they despise Hizbullah and that they praise what Israel is doing even though destructive. That's the truth, undistorted. Honestly, why would muslim lebanese civilians stay in an area that has been completely bombarded and where israel has dropped leaflets 2 days prior warning them to leave (which by the way is u nheard of from any other army in the history of the world)? Is this patriotism or the fact that "they will not leave their homes and let Israel intimidate them". That's Non-sense. These "civilians" dying are either staunch supporters and aiders of Hizbullah or, even crazier, are being forced to stay by Hizbullah to win public opinion over their deaths (which has been proven). Normal inncocent civilians leave when they realize a major war is under way in their town. Believe me I don't like saying these words and as much as I hate Hizbullah with every single ounce of soul in my body, I do feel bad when innocent lives are lost in Lebanon.

[Hassan]

Abu Kais,
This has always (more often than not) been a constructive and rational blog, could you please do something about 'steve' and 'someone'.

[R]

"someone" does NOT speak for me or for the lebanese that I know.

[timjim]

Well Steve,

You are right , but to be fair you should also mention that it was Stern, Irgun etc. who learned the Arabs terrorism. Don't tell me that jews are better people than others. As an atheist for whole my life I really wonder why a nation state should be based upon religion (Iran, Israel) and why we, non religious people, should be held hostage by those so called "believers" (in fairy tales), whether they are christians, jews, islamic.

[Bad Vilbel]

Yes. please. Someone tell Steve and Someone to go duke it out somewhere else and let the grown-ups talk.
It's amazing how similarly retarded the ignorants and extremists from both sides sound, isn't it?

[EngineeringChange]

Steve, it seems you're the kind of guy that doesn't like to think too hard. Maybe it give you a headache. But its a good thing ignorant people like you make ignorant comments, so other people right away know they are dealing with an idiot.

If you want to really discuss why Israel is at much higher level in terms of economics, technology etc you will really have to cut the rabid exaggerations--they serve no good purpose--just to make you look very foolish. While arabs and arab governments deserve their fair share of blame for sure--You may also want to talk about what else has been a large contributor to the hinderence of Arab progression all these years (hmmm maybe an OCCUPATION in Gaza, things like the destruction of power plants sure don't help development now do they?) And you may want to discuss some incredible amounts of military and economic aid that Israel receives from a certain country, and to really be fair you should also discuss the fact that Arab countries' residents were occupied before 1945 while nearly all the Jewish residents of Israel were immigrants from much more advanced societies in Europe, Russia and the USA. That and the influx of private investment that came with them sure did help as well.

But then again, why get into details when you could ignorantly write retarded statement after statement--you do it so well so why stop!

[Steve]

Vilbel your a putz. Why don't you write something worth reading.

[EngineeringChange]

Steve--when the IDF bombs all the roads it is hard to get out of Southern Lebanon...Did you not just read the report by HRW?

Is it so hard to fathom that people are scared to get on the road? Or that they are too poor to hire a taxi to take them away? Or that they are caring for elderly who cannot leave? Or yes, that they are simply too stubborn to leave at the face of Israeli aggression? You would rather believe all these people are Hizballah fighters...but hey I or HRW will not be able to convince you otherwise--so whatever lets you sleep better at night!

(Sorry Bad Villbel and Hassan...i know I shouldn't even be responding...)

[Steve]

EngineeringChange,

I can see I really got your blood boiling. Ok i'm sorry I will respect you and not post here anymore. Just one last thing. Israel has always kicked hostile arab butt, is kicking it now and will continue kicking it into the next millenium. Don't the arab countries realize they will never win. Israel is the Chosen People!

[Abu Kais]

Yo, steve: I don't appreciate the kind of racist language you're using on this blog. Please do not post here anymore. You are insulting my readers and friends, and that I cannot allow.

Someone: I can never understand what you're saying, and I have warned you before to stop the anti-semitic remarks. It's not cool, and it plays into the hands of folks like steve above. No more "jews" talk, please.

[Asiason]

Its ambassadors of Jewdom like Steve that had the Nazi's thinking they were doing the world a favor by holocausting the whole lot of them.

Jewish communities though very united tend to isolate everyone else that is not Jewish leading to alot of people either gauging them wrongly or suspicious of them and so forth.. so I can sorta understand where that comes from. There is an elitist manner of how they carry out everything that is in regard to their culture or religion and you are either Jewish or you are Others.

However arrogant though Steve did have some points that are partially valid. However painful or ugly some of those points do strike home and we all do wonder deep down how true or false it is. But alas to question is divine as we learn from it.

But I realize now more and more why the world finds it hard to deal with the arab mentality and mindset. Please correct me at anytime if I am wrong.

I believe its the absolutism of certain things and how they perceive everything either one way or no way. For example on the arab media now its showing gore and death but its overloading it so much there is no more truth nor data just pure concentrated saturation.

Have you guys ever notice this?

Statements like we will kill all of the ( fill in the blank)

We will destroy all who stand between us.

Western diplomacy requires alot of give and take type of deals.

Look at Iran its not even Arab, so what is this then, are these extreme statements or thoughts persistent?

Man am I wrongfully profiling?

But from the reports and interviews and news whenever an arab is interview they would go into a rant or chant always in an absolute.

I don't know but if we are dealing with people who think on absolutes this kind of thinking makes peace-making damn near impossible.

[bad vilbel]

Asiason,

You are profiling, yes. Although there is some merit to your theory of "absolutism". It is sadly prevalent both among arabs and Israelis.
But that is a stereotype applied to SOME (the loud and vocal exteremists) more so than the middle of the road types. Which is why I say you are profiling somewhat.

Is is up to us "moderates" to break away from this absolutism, on our respective sides of the fence. Having seen countless examples of arabs and Israelis getting along just fine in the US, and on some of these blogs, I am convinced that we can.

[Porgie Tirebiter]

Never work...been awhile since I have seen such a one sided piece of tripe this...I'd suggest that Lebanon get a serious clue and realize Hezbollah is the cause of their grief....there will be no cease fire that include Israel giving up prisoners (terrorists) for their soldiers, no farm exchange, as it is a separate issue, and no UN peace keeping force, Israel has said NATO, or no cease fire.

Porgie Tirebiter

Terroists (Hezbollah) who hide behind women and children are sick twisted pigs.
http://porgietirebiter.bravejournal.com/

[Dave]

Abu Kais,

I have a bridge to sell you along with some prime real estate in Florida.

[someone]

""someone" does NOT speak for me or for the lebanese that I know."

Not for you ,it is right, and for them you know, i dont know them.

----------------------------

"Someone: I can never understand what you're saying, and I have warned you before to stop the anti-semitic remarks. It's not cool, and it plays into the hands of folks like steve above. No more "jews" talk, please."

I dont know what is "anti-semitism" , but i know that arabs are semetic people .

Why not saying "jews"? havent i the freedom of expression here?

When saying "jews" ,i mean people following the jewich religion,nothing more.

When you say arabs, you mean an ethnic group .

"israel" declare itself as "jewish" state ,based on religion,is it anti-semitism?

Please,explain for me what is "anti-semitism" ,and why the word "jews" is forbidden,and why the word "arab" is not.

[David, Israel]

The German newspaper Tagspiegel published a letter by a doctor named Munir Khirzallah, who lived until 2002 in a village near Marj-Ayoun. He wrote that soon after entering the area in 2000, tbe Hizballah built an underground storage for rockets, and above it a school and a resedntial building.

[David, Israel]

I do beileve 100% that not onlt the IDF does not deliberately target civilians, it also tries to minimize the risk of killing civilians by mistake.

Should he do more? yes.

I will give three arguments:

Incidents like Qana serves Hizballah, and greatly damages Israel. So I cannot imagine why Israel (even if we assume is completely immoral) would do such things.

In NATO air raid campaign against Serbia in 1999, at least 500 civilians (Serb source report 2000) civilians were killed, among them mant Albanian refuges. 87 Albanians were killed in one incident in Korisa. All this while fighting against a regular army, with bases, uniforms, etc. It is obvious that those killings were the result of mistakes - NATO obviously did not want to kill Albanian refugees.
So such thing do happen in modern wars.

The last point is the fact that there was ground resistance that caused losses to IDF in almost every village they have entered. As much as the Hizballah figthers are brave, if the Israeli air force was just bombing evrything in the area indiscrimantly, there was no chance that any fighter would survive in Bint-Jbeil or the other villages.

[Asiason]

Your right Bad Vibel,

I was starting to profile, Israel is getting just as bad with the absolutes however Israel can be strongarmed into obedience with the US as the force behind it.

However right now the HA is running high on a wave of popularism and its going to be running solo and pretty much dictating to everyone.

Iranian mullahs are already calling for Arab nations to supply the HA with arms.

Man.. one of these days.. Iran needs to be reigned in because its getting mighty tiresome to watch how they chess play the entire world into chaos meanwhile sit in safety for it.

A stable Lebanon and/or a defeated Syria would create a very obedient and meek Iran. Right now with Syria and Lebanon and even Iraq as their buffer proxy battlegrounds, the Iranians are just sipping tea and loving all the blood they get to spill so far from home.

[David, Israel]

some more evidence about HA fighting from inside villages, and its general attitude to civilians in the south

http://cedarsawakening.blogspot.com/2006/07/go-to-hell-nasrallah-ii.html

[Steve]

Remarks of Brigitte Gabriel, delivered at the Duke University Counter Terrorism Speak-Out:

(to verify the veracity of this statement you can visit http://canadiancoalition.com/forum/messages/3960.shtml)

"I'm proud and honoured to stand here today, as a Lebanese speaking for Israel , the only democracy in the Middle East . As someone who was raised in an Arabic country, I want to give you a glimpse into the heart of the Arabic world.

I was raised in Lebanon , where I was taught that the Jews were evil, Israel was the devil, and the only time we will have peace in the Middle East is when we kill all the Jews and drive them into the sea.

When the Moslems and Palestinians declared Jihad on the Christians in 1975, they started massacring the Christians, city after city. I ended up living in a bomb shelter underground from age 10 to 17, without electricity, eating grass to live, and crawling under sniper bullets to a spring to get water.

It was Israel who came to help the Christians in Lebanon . My mother was wounded by a Moslem's shell, and was taken into an Israeli hospital for treatment. When we entered the emergency room, I was shocked at what I saw. There were hundreds of people wounded, Moslems, Palestinians, Christians, Lebanese, and Israeli soldiers lying on the floor. The doctors treated everyone according to their injury. They treated my mother before they treated the Israeli soldier lying next to her. They didn't see religion, they didn't see political affiliation, they saw people in need and they helped.

>For the first time in my life I experienced a human quality that I know my culture would not have shown to their enemy. I experienced the values of the Israelis, who were able to love their enemy in their most trying moments. I spent 22 days at that hospital. Those days changed my life and the way I believe information, the way I listen to the radio or to television. I realized I was sold a fabricated lie by my government, about the Jews and Israel , that was so far from reality. I knew for fact that, if I was a Jew standing in an Arab hospital, I would be lynched and thrown over to the grounds, as shouts of joy of Allah Akbar, God is great, would echo through the hospital and the surrounding streets.

I became friends with the families of the Israeli wounded soldiers: one in particular Rina, her only child was wounded in his eyes.

One day I was visiting with her, and the Israeli army band came to play national songs to lift the spirits of the wounded soldiers. As they surrounded his bed playing a song about Jerusalem , Rina and I started crying. I felt out of place and started waking out of the room, and this
mother holds my hand and pulls me back in without even looking at me.
She holds me crying and says: "it is not your fault". We just stood there crying, holding each other's hands.

What a contrast between her, a mother looking at her deformed 19 year old only child, and still able to love me the enemy, and between a Moslem mother who sends her son to blow himself up to smithereens just to kill a few Jews or Christians.

The difference between the Arabic world and Israel is a difference in values and character. It's barbarism versus civilization. It's democracy versus dictatorship. It's goodness versus evil.

Once upon a time, there was a special place in the lowest depths of hell for anyone who would intentionally murder a child. Now, the intentional murder of Israeli children is legitimized as Palestinian "armed struggle".

However, once such behaviour is legitimized against Israel, it is legitimized everywhere in the world, constrained by nothing more than the subjective belief of people who would wrap themselves in dynamite and nails for the purpose of killing children in the name of god.

Because the Palestinians have been encouraged to believe that murdering innocent Israeli civilians is a legitimate tactic for advancing their cause, the whole world now suffers from a plague of terrorism, from Nairobi to New York , from Moscow to Madrid , from Bali to Beslan.

They blame suicide bombing on "desperation of occupation". Let me tell you the truth. The first major terror bombing committed by Arabs against the Jewish state occurred ten weeks before Israel even became independent.

On Sunday morning, February 22, 1948 , in anticipation of Israel 's independence, a triple truck bomb was detonated by Arab terrorists on Ben Yehuda Street , in what was then the Jewish section of Jerusalem . Fifty-four people were killed, and hundreds were wounded. Thus, it is obvious that Arab terrorism is caused not by the "desperation" of "occupation", but by the VERY THOUGHT of a Jewish state.

So many times in history in the last 100 years, citizens have stood by and done nothing, allowing evil to prevail. As America stood up against and defeated communism, now it is time to stand up against the terror of religious bigotry and intolerance. It's time to all stand up, and support and defend the state of Israel , which is the front line of the war against terrorism."