Last year Israel deliberately targeted civilians during its
unprovoked war on Gaza. That’s according to a new report by Israeli
veterans NGO Breaking the Silence.
The damning report features testimony from more than 60 Israeli
soldiers who confirm that not only did they deliberately kill civilians,
but that they were explicitly ordered to do so.
According to the report, civilian infrastructure, homes, schools and
hospitals were deliberately attacked without any clear operational
justification: “Israeli troops were ordered to shoot people on sight.
They shelled homes and reduced neighbourhoods to rubble as part of a
deliberate policy of force protection that cost the lives of Palestinian
civilians.”
It’s all the reason why the International Criminal Court in The Hague
should step in to investigate. There is another clear reason for this
too:
Amid talk of Israeli soldiers ordered to deliberately murder Gaza
civilians, Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz, Israeli army commander during last
summer’s invasion, has talked up an even bigger civilian toll next time!
In his words: “It’s going to be worse next time. Israel will have to
attack civilians. There needs to be a dramatic rethink to international
law without limiting the ability of Israel and other countries to attack
civilians during conflicts… .”
Along similar lines, the United Nations and numerous human rights
organizations and aid groups have equally exposed Israeli war crimes
committed during last year’s assault on Gaza.
Navi Pillay, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, has said: “Israel
deliberately defied international law in its military offensive in
Gaza. World powers should hold Israel accountable for possible war
crimes.”
This is while no Israeli soldiers, commanders or politicians have
been held accountable for their war crimes. The Israeli regime has
resisted international human rights investigations, from Amnesty
International and the United Nations to the International Criminal Court
in The Hague.
Under international law, these world bodies are duty-bound to at
least investigate the Israeli soldiers’ testimonies to ensure veracity
and to ensure justice for Palestinians in Gaza.
It is indeed well past time for a more robust and transparent
investigation about – and an open, transparent, outside review of – the
entire war. That’s the only way to move forward and prevent similar
systematic wrongdoings and wrongful killings in Palestine and other
parts of the region.
As the new disclosure forcefully reminds us all, the lives of
innocent people – Palestinian citizens – are continually at risk. Before
it gets worse, the UN and the ICC should pro-actively take immediate
steps to allow a full and transparent investigation of the entire
civilian killing program – Israel’s deliberate policy of force
protection – in occupied Palestine.
There should be nothing particularly contentious about an
investigation like this, particularly when there are new threats by
Israeli army commanders, credible reports and evidence of civilian
deaths and international legal violations.
Sabtu, 09 Mei 2015
Indiscriminate Killing: Israel’s Top-Down War Plan
21.08
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