UNRWA Condemns Israeli Shelling Of Its School In Gaza As Serious Violation Of International Law

[bigtree]

Retweeted by United Nations
UNRWA ‏@UNRWA 1h
#UNRWA Strongly Condemns Israeli Shelling of Its School in #Gaza as a Serious Violation of International Law: http://www.unrwa.org//newsroom/official-statements/unrwa-strongly-condemns-israeli-shelling-its-school-gaza-serious#.U9jgCdJLOmo.twitter …

Statement by UNRWA Commissioner-General Pierre Krähenbühl

Last night, children were killed as they slept next to their parents on the floor of a classroom in a UN designated shelter in Gaza. Children killed in their sleep; this is an affront to all of us, a source of universal shame. Today the world stands disgraced.

We have visited the site and gathered evidence. We have analysed fragments, examined craters and other damage. Our initial assessment is that it was Israeli artillery that hit our school, in which 3,300 people had sought refuge. We believe there were at least three impacts. It is too early to give a confirmed official death toll. But we know that there were multiple civilian deaths and injuries including of women and children and the UNRWA guard who was trying to protect the site. These are people who were instructed to leave their homes by the Israeli army.

The precise location of the Jabalia Elementary Girls School and the fact that it was housing thousands of internally displaced people was communicated to the Israeli army seventeen times, to ensure its protection; the last being at ten to nine last night, just hours before the fatal shelling.

I condemn in the strongest possible terms this serious violation of international law by Israeli forces.

This is the sixth time that one of our schools has been struck. Our staff, the very people leading the humanitarian response are being killed. Our shelters are overflowing. Tens of thousands may soon be stranded in the streets of Gaza, without food, water and shelter if attacks on these areas continue.

We have moved beyond the realm of humanitarian action alone. We are in the realm of accountability. I call on the international community to take deliberate international political action to put an immediate end to the continuing carnage.


read: http://www.unrwa.org//newsroom/official-statements/unrwa-strongly-condemns-israeli-shelling-its-school-gaza-serious#.U9jgCdJLOmo.twitter

Pierre Krähenbühl @PKraehenbuehl
This is 6th time one of our @UNRWA schools has been struck. Our staff leading int'l response are being killed. This is a breaking point.

Pierre Krähenbühl @PKraehenbuehl
200'000 displaced people now in 82 @UNRWA schools. If you think it sounds orderly, think again. If you think it is sustainable think again.

Lydia Polgreen ‏@lpolgreen 1h
“My house was burned and death followed us here... Where am I supposed to go?” Another grim day in Gaza. New York Times World

[Avalux]

1. No words....

[morningfog]

2. "We are in the realm of accountability." Hear, hear. Enough is enough.

[FBaggins]

4. And you would look foolish trying to do so.

Just as you did on your thread with the hidden post.

False equivalencies are par for the course when debating Israel/Palestine... but pretending that the US is no different is pretty ridiculous.

[KG]

5. weren't no accident.

[Fred Sanders]

6. "Human shield" is defined by the shield being willing or forced to be....the abuse of definitions is

the heart of propaganda.

[bigtree]

7. definition

Protocol 1
Additional to the Geneva Conventions, 1977

PART IV: CIVILIAN POPULATION
Section 1: General Protection Against Effects of Hostilities

Article 51: Protection of the Civilian Population

7. The presence or movements of the civilian population or individual civilians shall not be used to render certain points or areas immune from military operations, in particular in attempts to shield military objectives from attacks or to shield, favor or impede military operations. The Parties to the conflict shall not direct the movement of the civilian population or individual civilians in order to attempt to shield military objectives from attacks or to shield military operations.

8. Any violation of these prohibitions shall not release the Parties to the conflict from their legal obligations with respect to the civilian population and civilians, including the obligation to take the precautionary measures provided for in Article 57. (http://deoxy.org/wc/wc-proto.htm#a57 )

[Fred Sanders]

8. I fail to see your point, you are non responsive to the internationally accepted definition.

Who is being directed to conflict areas? Your own definition reinforces my point, thank you.

I hope I have not misinterpreted your response.

Edit: yes, I have misinterpreted, sorry.

[bigtree]

10. Gaza is like a walled prison

. . . there is nowhere for the citizens to flee, and even those refuge centers which the UN has designated and informed the Israelis of that use have come under attack.

I hope I have not misinterpreted your point.

[oberliner]

11. They share a border with Egypt

I'm assuming that has been closed by the Egyptian government?

[Spazito]

12. So Egypt is responsible for the deaths of Palestinians and not Israel?

It's because Egypt's border is closed that's the problem and not Israel's actions and border closures? Is that your post's message? If not, it would be helpful if you would clarify what you are trying to say.

[oberliner]

14. No

The post was made in response to the statement about Gaza being a walled prison and there not being any place for their citizens to flee.

Since Gaza borders Egypt - doesn't the Egyptian government have the power to change that?

Three walls does not a prison make.

[Spazito]

17. Israel has the power to stop bombing the citizens of Gaza which would make the issue of...

Egypt's border moot, would it not? As to your "three walls does not a prison make" who has put up those three walls, maintains them knowing the fourth wall is in place? By your argument, Israel has 3/4 of the responsibly for the open-air prison Gaza has become and Egypt is responsible for 1/4, do I have that correct?

[oberliner]

19. Yes they do

You are certainly right about that.

With respect to the Gaza-Israel border. I'm not sure why it is a problem for Israel to put up a wall on its own border preventing Gazans from entering Israel. Why would Gazans want to go to Israel anyway? As long as there is another means for Gazans to move in and out of Gaza, via a friendly country like Egypt, how is that problematic?

[Spazito]

21. Egypt is not a "friendly country" which you well know...

hence their border closing. Your posts negate to allocate any culpability toward Israel for the deaths and destruction in Gaza while trying to redirect culpability toward a country, Egypt, which is not responsible for any of the death and destruction in the current crisis. Disappointing, to say the least.

[bigtree]

13. yes, it is closed

Egypt is refusing to open the Rafah border crossing with the Gaza Strip to allow injured Palestinians to seek treatment at Egyptian hospitals amid Israel's escalating military offensive against the besieged coastal enclave.

Officials in Gaza say that the border crossing, which is Gaza's only not controlled by Israel, has mostly remained closed since Israel’s relentless attacks began more than a fortnight ago, and some medical delegations have even been denied entry.

Egypt has also prevented an aid convoy from reaching the residents of the impoverished Palestinian territory.

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2014/07/22/372344/egypt-refuses-to-let-gazans-cross-border/


Both Israel and Egypt have enforced a crippling, years-long blockade of Gaza. Israel also faces demands to open its crossings, which are vital to reviving the strip’s economy, but it is likely to resist doing so.

For its part, Egypt has made it clear it won’t open the border unless the Gaza side is run by Hamas’ rival, President Mahmoud Abbas’ Palestinian Authority.

http://www.timesofisrael.com/in-gaza-war-egypt-taking-hard-line-over-border/

[oberliner]

15. Why doesn't Egypt open it?

If for nothing else, at least to allow aid convoys in.

[bigtree]

16. they have the same objections as Israel to Hamas being part of the unity government

. . . however, the initial question I answered above was a response to the inability of the citizens at the present time to find acceptable and safe refuge from Israeli attacks. They have enforced restrictions on their ability to remove themselves from the areas under attack.

[oberliner]

20. Yes, I see your points

Last edited Wed Jul 30, 2014, 03:49 PM - Edit history (1)

I just think it is important to note that there can't be a prison without Egypt's complicity.

[Fred Sanders]

18. Because the U.S. supported dictatorship in Egypt hates Palestinians also.

[bigtree]

22. »