Israel responsible for Qana attack; war crimes on both sides: HRW

[tocqueville]

NEW YORK (AFP) - The Israeli military is fully responsible for its airstrikes that killed at least 54 civilians in the Lebanese village of Qana and both Israel's and Lebanon's indiscrimate attacks against civilians are war crimes, according to Human Rights Watch.

The Israeli attack early Sunday "is the latest product of an indiscriminate bombing campaign that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have waged in Lebanon over the past 18 days, leaving an estimated 750 people dead, the vast majority of them civilians," the New York-based HRW said in a statement datelined Beirut Sunday.

"Todays strike on Qana, killing at least 54 civilians, more than half of them children, suggests that the Israeli military is treating southern Lebanon as a free-fire zone," said Kenneth Roth, HRW executive director.

"The Israeli military seems to consider anyone left in the area a combatant who is fair game for attack."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060731/pl_afp/mideastconflictisraellebanonrightswarcrimes_060731083527
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notice the use of the terminology "war crime" by HRW

[saigon68]

1. Israel is just one of two terrorist organizations at work here

[mike_c]

2. I'm very uncomfortable with that characterization....

First, Hezbollah is much more than a "terrorist organization," and I'd argue that even its military wing is not "terrorist" in any but a propagandistic sense. Until the current conflict they engaged primarily military targets in an ongoing border dispute, and their current actions can be considered at least retaliatory, if not self defense. "Terrorist" has become a much overused term. If all partisan irregular fighters are terrorists, then the term really has no meaning any longer. Likewise, Israel is a state engaged in warfare against civilian noncombatants, roughly the equivalent of the allied bombing of German and Japanese cities during WWII. Was that "terrorism?" Maybe, but reducing all war crimes to such a simplistic definition seems wrong to me, and ultimately designed to serve propagandistic purposes.

[GAPeace]

5. I'd say they're both committing terror but are not terrorist organizations

They're complex political organizations with military wings and arms they can employ for their means if the hardliners win out in both parties.

[Minnesota Libra]

3. Everyone at DU is rightfully slamming Israel for they're doing but.......

.....I don't remember seeing much outrage when it was Hezbollah/Hamas/PLO/?? blowing up Israeli men, women, and children day after day.

No, the idea of an eye for an eye is not necessarily a good idea - and probably gains very little if anything - but it is definitely human nature to want to "get back" at those who continuously terrorize us. So I understand completely why Israel is striking back but I still don't think it's going to gain much except as a recruiting tool for Hezbollah/Hamas/PLO/??.

That much having been said, if I was advising Israel I wouldn't enter into any agreement with any Arab/Muslim/?? group or country and actually expect them to keep their end of the bargain. Arabs/Muslims/?? always have and always will terrorize Israel and then blame it on some terror group enjoying protection within their borders.

[saigon68]

4. I guess you missed a few pacifist outrages by me at the bombers of

innocent children.

They are both thugs

Except israel has a Green Light with US tax dollars to Fry a few Rag heads.