Lebanese human rights activists collect evidence on Israeli war crimes
Lebanon-Israel, Politics, 9/14/2006

As a group of Lebanese human rights activists collected evidences about Israeli war crimes against Lebanese civilians during 34-day invasion of Lebanon, Tel Aviv-based daily, Haaretz admitted that Israel used unconventional Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) against Lebanon.

"We covered entire villages with cluster bombs," the newspaper quoted an army commander as saying.

Some 1.2 million cluster bombs were fired on Lebanese civilian targets during July-August war only included those bomblets fired by MLRS, Haaretz said on Wednesday.

Additional cluster bombs were fired by 155 mm mortars or dropped from the air, he said.

Other soldiers cited in the article said the army fired phosphorous shells to start fires in Lebanon.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said that international law prohibits the use of phosphorous against humans.

Human rights organizations have long advocated a ban on cluster bombs because of their disproportionate and indiscriminate nature and because their high dud rate creates vast mine fields.

According to the United Nations, some 52 Lebanese civilians were killed by unexploded cluster bombs in the first 15 days after the August 14 ceasefire in Lebanon.

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has condemned Israel's use of cluster bombs and the world body estimates that as much as 40 percent of the apple-sized bomblets fired into Lebanon failed to explode on impact.

Israel, shows no regard for international law, attacking Palestinian and Lebanese civilians and infrastructure. Many international organizations have declared Israel to be in violation of International Humanitarian Law, Geneva Convention, organizations such as the Red Cross, Amnesty international, and others. The most recent public declaration that Israel has broken the Geneva Convention came most recently ago from the neutral country of Switzerland. The UN Human Rights Council ago also voted against Israel and agreed to investigate the Israeli acts.

Previous Stories:
  Thousands of Lebanese unable to return home   (9/5/2006)
  Annan blasts Israel over use of cluster bombs   (8/31/2006)
  German minister reiterates anti-Israel criticism   (8/31/2006)
  Calls for trying Israeli officials for war crimes in Lebanon   (8/16/2006)
  Hizbullah accuses Israel of using cluster bombs   (11/26/2005)

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