Gerry
08-04-2006, 09:00 PM
** Dahr Jamail's Iraq Dispatches **
** Visit the Dahr Jamail Iraq website http://dahrjamailiraq.com **
** Website by http://jeffpflueger.com **
Israelis Accused of Using Illegal Weapons
*Inter Press Service*
Dahr Jamail
*
BEIRUT, Jul 28 (IPS) - The Israeli military is using illegal weapons
against civilians in southern Lebanon, according to several reports.*
U.S.-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) said this week that Israel had used
cluster bombs in civilian areas of Lebanon, in clear violation of
international law.
The group said cluster bombs killed a civilian and injured 12 others in
Blida village in the south of Lebanon last week. Cluster bombs disperse
hundreds of tiny shrapnel-filled 'bomblets' that are "unacceptably
inaccurate and unreliable", and should not be used in civilian areas,
HRW said.
Lebanese doctors, aid workers and refugees are reporting that the
Israeli military has used the incendiary weapon white phosphorous in
civilian areas, also in violation of the Geneva Conventions.
Dr. Bachir el-Sham at the Complex Hospital in Sidon in the south of
Lebanon told IPS in a telephone interview that he has received civilian
patients injured by incendiary weapons.
"We are seeing people that are all blackened, with charred flesh that is
not burned by normal bombs and flames," he said. "I am sure this is a
special bomb. They are using incendiary weapons on civilians in the
south. We are seeing these patients."
The doctor also told IPS that the Israelis are again using suction
bombs, which they used heavily during the Lebanese civil war.
"They are using suction bombs that implode our buildings," he added,
"With implosive bombs...instead of the glass blasted out, it is inside
the building. These kill everyone inside the building. There are rarely
survivors when they use these bombs."
Bilal Masri, assistant director of the Beirut Government University
Hospital (BGUH) had told IPS earlier that "many of the injured in the
south are suffering from the impact of incendiary white phosphorous."
Wafaa el-Yassir, Beirut representative of the non-governmental
organisation Norwegian People's Aid, told IPS that several of her relief
workers in the south had reported assisting people hit by incendiary
weapons.
"The most important thing is that we have an investigation for the
Israelis' use of banned weapons," she said. "They have used phosphorous
in Nabatiyeh and cluster bombs in Dahaya district of Beirut."
She also told IPS that a doctor at the Bint Jbail hospital, in the small
city near the southern border of Lebanon where much of the fierce
fighting has taken place, had told her agency that he was certain that
white phosphorous had been used against civilians there.
Zacharia al-Amedin, an 18-year-old refugee being treated for lacerations
from bomb shrapnel told IPS, "I was in a village near Tyre, and the
Israelis were dropping incendiary bombs all around us, even though there
weren't fighters near us. So many civilians were hit by these weapons."
The Lebanese ministry of interior has officially said that the Israeli
military has used this weapon.
President Emile Lahoud said recently on French radio: "According to the
Geneva Conventions, when they use phosphorous bombs and laser bombs, is
that allowed against civilians and children?"
An Israeli military spokesman told Reuters news agency, "Everything the
Israeli defence forces are using is legitimate." International law
requires that the military distinguish between combatants and civilians.
Incendiary weapons and cluster bombs when used in areas where there may
be civilians contravene international humanitarian law.
"We are a country of humans, not animals," Sham told IPS. "Real people
are dying here. You must ask this of the world, to please help."
_______________________________________________
(c)2006 Dahr Jamail.
All images, photos, photography and text are protected by United States and international copyright law. If you would like to reprint Dahr's Dispatches on the web, you need to include this copyright notice and a prominent link to the http://DahrJamailIraq.com website. Website by photographer Jeff Pflueger's Photography Media http://jeffpflueger.com . Any other use of images, photography, photos and text including, but not limited to, reproduction, use on another website, copying and printing requires the permission of Dahr Jamail. Of course, feel free to forward Dahr's dispatches via email.
** Visit the Dahr Jamail Iraq website http://dahrjamailiraq.com **
** Website by http://jeffpflueger.com **
Israelis Accused of Using Illegal Weapons
*Inter Press Service*
Dahr Jamail
*
BEIRUT, Jul 28 (IPS) - The Israeli military is using illegal weapons
against civilians in southern Lebanon, according to several reports.*
U.S.-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) said this week that Israel had used
cluster bombs in civilian areas of Lebanon, in clear violation of
international law.
The group said cluster bombs killed a civilian and injured 12 others in
Blida village in the south of Lebanon last week. Cluster bombs disperse
hundreds of tiny shrapnel-filled 'bomblets' that are "unacceptably
inaccurate and unreliable", and should not be used in civilian areas,
HRW said.
Lebanese doctors, aid workers and refugees are reporting that the
Israeli military has used the incendiary weapon white phosphorous in
civilian areas, also in violation of the Geneva Conventions.
Dr. Bachir el-Sham at the Complex Hospital in Sidon in the south of
Lebanon told IPS in a telephone interview that he has received civilian
patients injured by incendiary weapons.
"We are seeing people that are all blackened, with charred flesh that is
not burned by normal bombs and flames," he said. "I am sure this is a
special bomb. They are using incendiary weapons on civilians in the
south. We are seeing these patients."
The doctor also told IPS that the Israelis are again using suction
bombs, which they used heavily during the Lebanese civil war.
"They are using suction bombs that implode our buildings," he added,
"With implosive bombs...instead of the glass blasted out, it is inside
the building. These kill everyone inside the building. There are rarely
survivors when they use these bombs."
Bilal Masri, assistant director of the Beirut Government University
Hospital (BGUH) had told IPS earlier that "many of the injured in the
south are suffering from the impact of incendiary white phosphorous."
Wafaa el-Yassir, Beirut representative of the non-governmental
organisation Norwegian People's Aid, told IPS that several of her relief
workers in the south had reported assisting people hit by incendiary
weapons.
"The most important thing is that we have an investigation for the
Israelis' use of banned weapons," she said. "They have used phosphorous
in Nabatiyeh and cluster bombs in Dahaya district of Beirut."
She also told IPS that a doctor at the Bint Jbail hospital, in the small
city near the southern border of Lebanon where much of the fierce
fighting has taken place, had told her agency that he was certain that
white phosphorous had been used against civilians there.
Zacharia al-Amedin, an 18-year-old refugee being treated for lacerations
from bomb shrapnel told IPS, "I was in a village near Tyre, and the
Israelis were dropping incendiary bombs all around us, even though there
weren't fighters near us. So many civilians were hit by these weapons."
The Lebanese ministry of interior has officially said that the Israeli
military has used this weapon.
President Emile Lahoud said recently on French radio: "According to the
Geneva Conventions, when they use phosphorous bombs and laser bombs, is
that allowed against civilians and children?"
An Israeli military spokesman told Reuters news agency, "Everything the
Israeli defence forces are using is legitimate." International law
requires that the military distinguish between combatants and civilians.
Incendiary weapons and cluster bombs when used in areas where there may
be civilians contravene international humanitarian law.
"We are a country of humans, not animals," Sham told IPS. "Real people
are dying here. You must ask this of the world, to please help."
_______________________________________________
(c)2006 Dahr Jamail.
All images, photos, photography and text are protected by United States and international copyright law. If you would like to reprint Dahr's Dispatches on the web, you need to include this copyright notice and a prominent link to the http://DahrJamailIraq.com website. Website by photographer Jeff Pflueger's Photography Media http://jeffpflueger.com . Any other use of images, photography, photos and text including, but not limited to, reproduction, use on another website, copying and printing requires the permission of Dahr Jamail. Of course, feel free to forward Dahr's dispatches via email.