Israeli attacks 'war crimes', says Amnesty International
Palestine-Israel, Politics, 7/4/2006

Britain's leading human rights group warned Israel Monday that "deliberate attacks by Israeli forces against civilian property and infrastructure in the Gaza Strip violate international humanitarian law and constitute war crimes."

"Israel must now take urgent measures to remedy the long-term damage it has caused and immediately restore the supply -- at its own cost -- of electricity and water to the Palestinian population in the affected areas," Amnesty International said.

It reminded that "as the occupying power, Israel is bound under international law to protect and safeguard the basic human rights of the Palestinian population."

Amnesty International specified that the deliberate destruction of the Gaza Strip's only electricity power station, water networks, bridges, roads and other infrastructure is a "violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention and has major and long-term humanitarian."

It has consequences for the 1.5 million inhabitants of the Gaza Strip, with almost half of the inhabitants are now without electricity and that water supplies have also been cut in several areas both by the lack of electricity, it said.

The extensive damage caused by Israeli artillery and air strikes against these facilities in recent days is estimated at several millions US dollars and will require months of work to repair.

"Unless alternative emergency measures are promptly put in place to restore electricity and water supply the consequences could be dire for the health of the Palestinian population," the human rights group warned.

It also referred to the high numbers of Palestinian bystanders, including women and children, that have been killed and injured by Israeli artillery shelling and air strikes in recent weeks and months.

"This situation looks set to worsen in light of the end of the unilateral cease-fire which the armed wing of Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups had been observing since last year," Amnesty said.

According to the Fourth Geneva Convention, "collective penalties and likewise all measures of intimidation or of terrorism are prohibited" as is the destruction of private or public property.

The Convention puts an onus on all states party to it, including the UK, to ensure the prosecution of perpetrators of the war crime of "causing extensive destruction" that was not justified by military necessity but carried out "unlawfully and wantonly."

"Intentionally directing attacks against civilian objects" is also a war crime under Article 8 (b) (ii) of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.

Previous Stories:
  Palestinian killed, farmers' lands threatened by Israeli bulldozers   (7/3/2006)
  Meshaal: Israeli attacks increase Palestinian will against occupation   (7/3/2006)
  Israel attacked Palestinian prime minister's office   (7/3/2006)
  Israel acts violate Geneva Convention; international silence   (6/29/2006)
  Red Crescent: Israeli Army has continued to violate Geneva convention   (3/21/2006)

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