From: Adam 

George Sherwood wrote:
> Unlike Phil's evaluation of the Lebanon situation, AI reports that the
> situation concerning the Israeli attacks is very complex and not
> immediately clear if war crimes were committed. On the other hand, AI does
> report that without a doubt war crimes were committed by Hizbullah's
> rocket attacks into Israel.
>
> George
>
>
http://news.bostonherald.com/columnists/view.bg?articleid=157514&format=&page
=2
>
>  Amnesty International has introduced a comprehensive report accusing a
>  terrorist group of war crimes.In utter defiance of the predominant
>  American left, European and United Nations view that Israel engaged in
>  gross war crimes against civilians and freedom fighters in Lebanon,
>  Amnesty International has announced that in its opinion, Hezbollah is
>  guilty of war crimes. Hezbollah purposefully and indiscriminately
>  targeted Israeli civilians.
>
> AI did not address the issue of an estimated 1,000 Lebanese civilians
> killed when Israel attacked Hezbollah fighting and command positions that
> had been established within populated villages, or the use of civilian
> vehicles, buildings and clothing by Hezbollah fighters, who also sometimes
> fought in Israeli uniforms.That is still the subject of investigation, and
> AI announced those issues, unlike the Hezbollah violations, are too
> complex for immediate comment.
>
> http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGMDE020252006
>
> Some serious violations of international humanitarian law, including many
> of those addressed in this report, are war crimes and give rise to
> international criminal responsibility for the perpetrators. These crimes
> are subject to universal jurisdiction (they may be prosecuted by any state
> in its national courts) and fall within the statute of the International
> Criminal Court.
>
> A core principle of the rules governing the conduct of hostilities is the
> principle of distinction. The rules require that combatants at all times
> distinguish between civilians, the civilian population and civilian
> objects on the one hand, and military objectives on the other.

Chuckle.

So unguided weapons directed at built up areas is a war crime. Humm seems a
very sticky wicket as

(A) It means that any fighting in a built up area with anything other than
"smart weapons" is per se a war crime which will amuse many mils.
e.g. Linebacker was a war crime, shock & awe was a war crime etc.

(B) It means that Israeli "get out before we bomb" warnings are
fairly meaningless esp where unguided weapons e.g. artillery, dumb bombs
etc are concerned.

(C) It would appear that almost any conflict is per se now a war crime
which is an interesting spin but entirely consistent with AI who in essence
do insist that any act of political violence except absolutely directed at
a specific mil target is a war crime. E.g. taking out a power station or
any other civie-dual use facility s a war crime.

"AI reports that the situation concerning the Israeli attacks is very
complex and not immediately clear if war crimes were committed."

Not true. Nice spin though e.g.

http://web.amnesty.org/library/index/engMDE020182006

"Amnesty International today published findings that point to an
Israeli policy of deliberate destruction of Lebanese civilian
infrastructure, which included war crimes, during the recent conflict.

The organization's latest publication shows how Israel's destruction of
thousands of homes, and strikes on numerous bridges and roads as well as
water and fuel storage plants, was an integral part of Israel's military
strategy in Lebanon, rather than "collateral damage" resulting
from the lawful targeting of military objectives. "

""Israelƒ ™s assertion that the attacks on the infrastructure
were lawful is manifestly wrong. Many of the violations identified in our
report are war crimes, including indiscriminate and disproportionate
attacks. The evidence strongly suggests that the extensive destruction of
power and water plants, as well as the transport infrastructure vital for
food and other humanitarian relief, was deliberate and an integral part of
a military strategy," said Kate Gilmore, Executive Deputy Secretary
General of Amnesty International."


Adam

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