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AI: ISRAEL'S ATTACKS ON GAZA IN AUG 2014 AMOUNT TO WAR CRIMES
December 9, 2014 - 09:53 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net - Air strikes on landmark buildings at the tail end
of the Israeli military's Operation Protective Edge in Gaza in August
2014 were a deliberate and direct attack on civilian buildings and
amount to war crimes, Amnesty International said on Tuesday, Dec 9.
"Nothing is immune": Israel's destruction of landmark buildings in
Gaza provides evidence that attacks on four multistorey buildings
during the last four days of the conflict were in contravention of
international humanitarian law and calls for them to be independently
and impartially investigated.
"All the evidence we have shows this large-scale destruction was
carried out deliberately and with no military justification," said
Philip Luther, Director of the Middle East and North Africa Programme
at Amnesty International.
"Both the facts on the ground and statements made by Israeli military
spokespeople at the time indicate that the attacks were a collective
punishment against the people of Gaza and were designed to destroy
their already precarious livelihoods."
While the Israeli military warned the residents of the buildings
to leave before they destroyed them, scores of people from nearby
buildings were injured and hundreds of people were devastated to lose
their homes, businesses and belongings.
In all four cases, panicked residents hurried to evacuate the buildings
and in most cases, were unable to salvage their belongings, including
important documents, jewellery and savings.
The Municipal Commercial Centre in Rafah, which contained a shopping
mall, a garage, several offices and a medical clinic, was reduced
to a tangled skeleton of iron girders and concrete. Businesses in
this building provided the livelihoods for hundreds of families,
who are now struggling to make ends meet.
Other than the suggestion that one of the destroyed buildings housed
a Hamas command center and of "facilities linked to Palestinian
militants" in another, the Israeli authorities have provided no
information as to why they levelled four entire buildings.
"Even if the Israeli authorities had good reason to believe that a
part of a building was being used for military purposes, they had an
obligation to choose means and methods of attack that would minimize
harm to civilians and their property," says Philip Luther. "The Israeli
army have previously conducted air strikes on specific apartments in
high-rise buildings without their complete destruction."
Amnesty International sent its findings about the air strikes to
the Israeli authorities and asked for explanations on why each of
the attacks was carried out; what or who was being targeted; what
precautions were taken to minimize the risk of harm to civilians;
and whether any investigation had taken place or was ongoing.
A response was received from the State Comptroller, an ombudsman
role, who simply described the focus of his inquiry into Operation
Protective Edge. Noone from the authorities who could have actually
addressed the questions about these attacks responded.
Amnesty International said it has documented and consistently condemned
violations of international humanitarian law committed by both Israel
and Hamas and Palestinian armed groups during the conflict. While this
report and another one issued in November, Families under the rubble:
Israeli attacks on inhabited homes, have examined Israeli attacks, a
forthcoming output, currently being prepared, will focus on violations
by Hamas.
Up until now any investigations of alleged violations of international
law by either Israeli or Palestinian forces in conflicts in the Gaza
Strip and Israel have failed to be independent, thorough or impartial.
Amnesty International is calling for the Commission of Inquiry set
up the United Nations to be allowed to conduct its investigation
without hindrance and for the Israeli authorities to lift their
block on Amnesty International and other human rights organizations
entering Gaza.
"War crimes must be independently and impartially investigated and
those responsible should be brought to justice in fair trials. Those
whose homes and livelihoods have been unlawfully destroyed deserve
justice and full reparation," said Philip Luther.
http://www.panarmenian.net/eng/news/185786/
http://amnesty.org/en/news/israels-destruction-multistorey-buildings-extensive-wanton-and-unjustified-2014-12-09
December 9, 2014 - 09:53 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net - Air strikes on landmark buildings at the tail end
of the Israeli military's Operation Protective Edge in Gaza in August
2014 were a deliberate and direct attack on civilian buildings and
amount to war crimes, Amnesty International said on Tuesday, Dec 9.
"Nothing is immune": Israel's destruction of landmark buildings in
Gaza provides evidence that attacks on four multistorey buildings
during the last four days of the conflict were in contravention of
international humanitarian law and calls for them to be independently
and impartially investigated.
"All the evidence we have shows this large-scale destruction was
carried out deliberately and with no military justification," said
Philip Luther, Director of the Middle East and North Africa Programme
at Amnesty International.
"Both the facts on the ground and statements made by Israeli military
spokespeople at the time indicate that the attacks were a collective
punishment against the people of Gaza and were designed to destroy
their already precarious livelihoods."
While the Israeli military warned the residents of the buildings
to leave before they destroyed them, scores of people from nearby
buildings were injured and hundreds of people were devastated to lose
their homes, businesses and belongings.
In all four cases, panicked residents hurried to evacuate the buildings
and in most cases, were unable to salvage their belongings, including
important documents, jewellery and savings.
The Municipal Commercial Centre in Rafah, which contained a shopping
mall, a garage, several offices and a medical clinic, was reduced
to a tangled skeleton of iron girders and concrete. Businesses in
this building provided the livelihoods for hundreds of families,
who are now struggling to make ends meet.
Other than the suggestion that one of the destroyed buildings housed
a Hamas command center and of "facilities linked to Palestinian
militants" in another, the Israeli authorities have provided no
information as to why they levelled four entire buildings.
"Even if the Israeli authorities had good reason to believe that a
part of a building was being used for military purposes, they had an
obligation to choose means and methods of attack that would minimize
harm to civilians and their property," says Philip Luther. "The Israeli
army have previously conducted air strikes on specific apartments in
high-rise buildings without their complete destruction."
Amnesty International sent its findings about the air strikes to
the Israeli authorities and asked for explanations on why each of
the attacks was carried out; what or who was being targeted; what
precautions were taken to minimize the risk of harm to civilians;
and whether any investigation had taken place or was ongoing.
A response was received from the State Comptroller, an ombudsman
role, who simply described the focus of his inquiry into Operation
Protective Edge. Noone from the authorities who could have actually
addressed the questions about these attacks responded.
Amnesty International said it has documented and consistently condemned
violations of international humanitarian law committed by both Israel
and Hamas and Palestinian armed groups during the conflict. While this
report and another one issued in November, Families under the rubble:
Israeli attacks on inhabited homes, have examined Israeli attacks, a
forthcoming output, currently being prepared, will focus on violations
by Hamas.
Up until now any investigations of alleged violations of international
law by either Israeli or Palestinian forces in conflicts in the Gaza
Strip and Israel have failed to be independent, thorough or impartial.
Amnesty International is calling for the Commission of Inquiry set
up the United Nations to be allowed to conduct its investigation
without hindrance and for the Israeli authorities to lift their
block on Amnesty International and other human rights organizations
entering Gaza.
"War crimes must be independently and impartially investigated and
those responsible should be brought to justice in fair trials. Those
whose homes and livelihoods have been unlawfully destroyed deserve
justice and full reparation," said Philip Luther.
http://www.panarmenian.net/eng/news/185786/
http://amnesty.org/en/news/israels-destruction-multistorey-buildings-extensive-wanton-and-unjustified-2014-12-09