Wow, nice propaganda article here.
If it's truth you seek then visit here...http://www.members.home.net/projectonesoul/israel/israel.htm
and this one... http://www.rotter.net/israel/
I'll
throw rocks at you with the intent to kill you and if you have a gun, you have
every right to fire back. "Oh wait, he's throwing rocks at me, I
have to play fair, put down my weapon and throw rocks back." Since when is
war fair? And not just that, but they are NOT only using rocks, they do
have weapons, but CNN doesn't want us to know that either.
Jamie
-----Original Message-----Rights Groups Charge Israelis With War Crimes
From: William Shannon [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Wednesday, November 15, 2000 10:00 AM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: [CTRL] Israeli War Crimes
Israel’s iron fist tactics have been condemned as war atrocities by an
international human rights group.
Exclusive to The SPOTLIGHT
By Christopher Bollyn
Israel’s military tactics in the occupied territories have been strongly
condemned and “could amount to war crimes,” according to the London-based
human rights group Amnesty International (AI).
An American group, Physicians for Human Rights USA (PHR), also investigated
the clashes by sending a team of three physicians to the occupied
territories in Gaza and the West Bank from Oct. 20-27.
PHR reinforced AI’s findings, reporting that the Israeli Defense Force (IDF)
uses live ammunition and rubber-coated steel bullets “excessively and
inappropriately.”
Five weeks of Arab-Israeli violence have left 200 people dead—many of them
children—almost all of them Palestinian.
“There is a pattern of gross human rights violations that may well amount to
war crimes,” said Claudio Cordone, AI’s international research director.
AI’s latest findings go much further than its earlier criticism that Israeli
troops were using “excessive force” against Palestinians.
Cordone repeated long-standing criticism of Israel’s “iron fist” military
response to Palestinian demonstrations that applies “combat reflexes” as
opposed to what would be proper policing methods.
“There is excessive use of force resulting in killings that shouldn’t take
place,” Cordone said. “If a kid is throwing stones at you but not posing any
other risk—you don’t shoot him.”
Geneva Conventions VIOLATED
AI says the Israeli forces are breaking the Geneva Conventions as well as
their own rules, namely, that lethal force must only be used to counter an
immediate threat to life.
As part of international humanitarian law, the Geneva Civilian Convention
(1949) protects civilians under occupation and has applied to Israel’s
occupation of the West Bank and Gaza since the 1967 war. An IDF senior
officer told PHR that “the Fourth Geneva Convention and other humanitarian
laws apply” to the current clashes.
The Geneva Conventions prohibit murder, torture and cruel, inhumane and
degrading treatment. Included in the Geneva Conventions is a law against
force that results in disproportionate and/or indiscriminate killing of or
violence toward civilians.
In an occupation, such as Israel’s of the West Bank and Gaza, the rule of
proportionality applies and prohibits excessive force against civilians.
DEATH FROM ABOVE
Israel has repeatedly used combat helicopters firing heavy machine guns and
armor-piercing missiles on Palestinian civilians, towns, and even ambulances.
The PHR team examined a Red Crescent Ambulance in Gaza which was damaged by
a helicopter gunship. The Israeli helicopter strafed the ambulance with five
50-caliber shells that passed right through the ambulance, including a metal
gurney.
The bullets used by the IDF against Jewish citizens in Israel or Jewish
settlers in the occupied territories are very different than those used on
Palestinians. The bullets used for Jewish riot control are solid rubber.
There have been no reported deaths resulting from these bullets.
The so-called rubber bullets used by the IDF against Israel’s Arab citizens
and Palestinians are significantly different. The “Arab bullets” examined by
the PHR team are merely rubber-coated steel bullets and very lethal.
The rubber-coated bullets used on Palestinians are of two shapes: spherical
and cylindrical.
The bullets used against Arabs only look rubber with a thin 2 mm outer
rubber shell around a solid steel core 1.83 cm in diameter.
HEAD INJURIES
PHR concluded that Israeli soldiers are shooting high-velocity live
ammunition and rubber-coated steel bullets with intent to kill and maim
Palestinian demonstrators, based on the high number of injuries to the head
and thighs.
PHR’s analysis of fatal gun shot wounds in Gaza reveals that approximately
50 percent were to the head. The high proportion of fatal head wounds
suggests that soldiers are specifically targeting Palestinians’ eyes.
The IDF spokesman told the PHR team that he was aware of the high incidence
of gun shot wounds to the head, and did not dispute that most of these
injuries were inflicted upon people who posed no immediate threat to any
member of the IDF.
After reviewing medical records of 31 Palestinians killed in Gaza between
Sept. 30 and Oct. 24, PHR found that 53 percent were shot by high velocity
weapons and 38 percent were under the age of 18.
PHR reported a pattern of high velocity gunshot wounds to the leg,
particularly to the thigh. These wounds cause extreme injury, usually
producing complex fractures and extensive muscle, nerve, and vascular
injury. The majority of victims of these injuries will be permanently
disabled, according to PHR.
Witness reports, IDF statements and information provided to other human
rights organizations indicate that those injured in this manner were at most
throwing stones and were not carrying firearms.
The numerous reports of thigh wounds suggest a specific IDF policy,
according to PHR.
“A response to throwing stones that results in permanent disability
constitutes a gross violation of human rights,” PHR concluded.
TARGETING AMBULANCES
PHR reported numerous instances in which the IDF blocked hospitals in Jeru
salem and prevented injured patients from receiving care.
PHR also reported IDF shooting at medical personnel, who were wearing vests
clearly identifying them as medical personnel, while they were providing
care to the injured.
According the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS), 33 ambulances were hit
by gunfire and 17 were destroyed in 64 separate attacks. Between Oct. 1 and
Oct. 23, PHR reported that 17 Pales tinian ambulances were “utterly de
stroyed” by the IDF. During the week from Oct. 19 to Oct. 23 alone, PHR
found that 26 ambulances were damaged by gunfire.
AI said that Israeli forces were no longer carrying out investigations into
killings.
An IDF legal officer said soldiers, whose use of live ammunition results in
the death of a Palestinian, need not file a report or face an investigation
into the justification for the use of their weapon. This is a departure from
the procedures in place during the 1987-1993 Intifada.lt
