Israeli Cluster Munitions Hit Civilians in Lebanon

[Karmadillo]

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/HRW/64192d2d2372a544edcf7533fd5a16af.htm

(Beirut, July 24, 2006) ? Israel has used artillery-fired cluster munitions in populated areas of Lebanon, Human Rights Watch said today. Researchers on the ground in Lebanon confirmed that a cluster munitions attack on the village of Blida on July 19 killed one and wounded at least 12 civilians, including seven children. Human Rights Watch researchers also photographed cluster munitions in the arsenal of Israeli artillery teams on the Israel-Lebanon border. "Cluster munitions are unacceptably inaccurate and unreliable weapons when used around civilians," said Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch. "They should never be used in populated areas."

According to eyewitnesses and survivors of the attack interviewed by Human Rights Watch, Israel fired several artillery-fired cluster munitions at Blida around 3 p.m. on July 19. The witnesses described how the artillery shells dropped hundreds of cluster submunitions on the village. They clearly described the submunitions as smaller projectiles that emerged from their larger shells.

The cluster attack killed 60-year-old Maryam Ibrahim inside her home. At least two submunitions from the attack entered the basement that the Ali family was using as a shelter, wounding 12 persons, including seven children. Ahmed Ali, a 45-year-old taxi driver and head of the family, lost both legs from injuries caused by the cluster munitions. Five of his children were wounded: Mira, 16; Fatima, 12; 'Ali, 10; Aya, 3; and 'Ola, 1. His wife Akram Ibrahim, 35, and his mother-in-law 'Ola Musa, 80, were also wounded. Four relatives, all German-Lebanese dual nationals sheltering with the family, were wounded as well: Mohammed Ibrahim, 45; his wife Fatima, 40; and their children 'Ali, 16, and Rula, 13.

Human Rights Watch researchers photographed artillery-delivered cluster munitions among the arsenal of Israel Defense Forces (IDF) artillery teams stationed on the Israeli-Lebanese border during a research visit on July 23. The photographs show M483A1 Dual Purpose Improved Conventional Munitions, which are U.S.-produced and -supplied, artillery-delivered cluster munitions. The photographs contain the distinctive marks of such cluster munitions, including a diamond-shaped stamp, and a shape that is longer than ordinary artillery, according to a retired IDF commander who asked not to be identified.

<edit>

Israel used cluster munitions in Lebanon in 1978 and in the 1980s. At that time, the United States placed restrictions on their use and then a moratorium on the transfer of cluster munitions to Israel out of concern for civilian casualties. Those weapons used more than two decades ago continue to affect Lebanon.

more...

[CuteNFuzzy]

1. The precise targeting of civilians is going very well

Everything as planned one can only assume

[Poll_Blind]

2. Deploying area-denial weapons in POPULATED areas IS scorched earth.

What's next, air dropping depleted uranium dust on them?

PB

[CuteNFuzzy]

14. What's next?

Targeting Peacekeepers that's what's next

[uppityperson]

3. k&r for dead children and their families everywhere.

[ShortnFiery]

4. Pure Evil - when are they going to get out the White Phosphorus as icing?

Evil, Darkness of Heart. :grr: :cry:

"Cluster munitions are unacceptably inaccurate and unreliable weapons when used around civilians," said Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch. "They should never be used in populated areas."

[magellan]

10. They 've already done

Democracy Now! Report: Israel Using Banned Phosphorus Weapons
Lebanon’s Information Minister Ghazi Aridi has accused Israel of using banned weapons in violation of international law. Reports in the Lebanese media have claimed that Israel has used phosphorus incendiary bombs and vacuum bombs that suck up air and facilitate building collapses. The use of incendiary weapons against civilians has been banned since 1980. The U.S. military used similar phosphorous weapons during the siege of Fallujuah in Iraq.

I heard this on CNN a couple of hours ago too, with the additional report that Israel states it is not using any banned weapons. It used the same broad wording as the US in denying phosphorus use against civilians in Fallujah.

Read: they're using it and if it hits civilians, oh well, that wasn't intentional.

[Rex]

5. Cluster bombs/shells = mass terrorism.

Imagine taking 5,000 hand grenades and dropping them all at once from 1000 feet. US taxpayer dollars at work.

[partylessinOhio]

6. Just on our local news: BUSH has sped up the delivery of BUNKER

BUSTER BOMBS to ISRAEL.

More death and destruction reigned down on an innocent country.

Stop the insanity. Stop Bush. Stop Condoho.




Where is the world? Where is the Pope? Where are other religious leaders?

Billy Graham? He wouldn't dare open his mouth would he?

[TahitiNut]

7. And the shareholders of the "ownership society" cackle in glee.

Gotta love those investments - profit from the labors of others in creating misery and death. But save them 'innoncent' embryos, George!!

[sweetheart]

8. How else to get rid of the population?

Its like the walls of jericho, as the believers walked around the walls,
they were systemically murdered by cluster munitions and all of them died
horribly... then the walls came a tumblin' down.

[MadHound]

9. But, but, but, don'tcha know?

Those civilians were aiding the terrorists! Passing on information! Selling them food! Mending their clothing! That's why they all had to be killed!:sarcasm:

I may be over the top, but not by much. The Israel apologists will be here soon with their excuses and bullshit. Just thought I'd warn you.

[TankLV]

18. How about keeping weapons stashes.

But that's too hard for too many to understand here, aparently.

[Ms. Clio]

11. Animals, snakes, and cancers

Juan Cole on Dershowitz and Grades of Human Beings



For instance, Israeli ambassador to the United Nations Dan Gillerman angrily denounced Kofi Annan for neglecting this key fact. The Guardian reports, ‘ Mr Gillerman said “something very important was missing” from Mr Annan’s speech: any mention of terrorism. Hizbullah were “ruthless indiscriminate animals”, he told reporters. ‘

So you see, one reason that you can just bomb the hell out of the Lebanese in general is that they aren’t human beings at all. They are “animals.” You might quibble that Gillerman is only referring to members of the Hizbullah party as animals, not all Lebanese. But most Shiite Lebanese, some 45 percent of the population, support Hizbullah. And the Lebanese government, made up of Christians, Sunnis and Druze, let Hizbullah into the Lebanese government and gave it cabinet posts. So probably those who tolerate Hizbullah are at most half-human. This has yet to be worked out. It might be possible to declare them .66 animal. Or maybe they are just all animals. They speak Arabic, after all, right Mr. Gillerman?

There is a problem with stopping here, however. It is not enough to reclassify some human beings as animals. After all, you have to treat animals humanely. You can even be fined for mistreating an animal, though probably you would not go to jail.

The staff of US Secretary of State Condi Rice has made a suggestion for another, more convenient level, that of snake. Thus, a senior White House official referred to the massive Israeli bombing campaign and destruction of Lebanon’s civilization and killing of hundreds and wounding of over a thousand as “defanging” Hezbollah. I am pretty sure that language is meant to suggest that the Shiites of Lebanon, although apparently human beings, are actually snakes. I suppose it is possible that another sort of reptile is is intended, but I suspect that “snake” is the intended classification.

[Karmadillo]

12. Link to HRW press release

http://www.commondreams.org/news2006/0724-17.htm

<edit>

Israel has in its arsenal cluster munitions delivered by aircraft, artillery and rockets. Israel is a major producer and exporter of cluster munitions, primarily artillery projectiles and rockets containing M85 DPICM (Dual Purpose Improved Conventional Munition) submunitions. Israeli Military Industries, an Israeli government-owned weapons manufacturer, has reportedly produced more than 60 million M85 DPICM submunitions. Israel also produces at least six different types of air-dropped cluster bombs, and has imported from the United States M26 rockets for its Multiple Launch Rocket Systems.

There is growing international momentum to stop the use of cluster munitions. Belgium became the first country to ban cluster munitions in February 2006, and Norway announced a moratorium on the weapon in June 2006. Cluster munitions are increasingly the focus of discussion at the meetings of the Convention on Conventional Weapons, with ever more states calling for a new international instrument dealing with cluster munitions.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

13. Tonight Paula Zahn was covering the story about white phosphorous

Apparently, some of the hospital victims are showing up with horrendous burns. She asked an Israeli spokesman whether or not Israel was using phosphorous bombs and his somewhat indirect answer was that Israel is abiding by international standards of war.

Isn't the U.S. itself using this stuff in Iraq (i.e. Fallujah) and claiming that it's legal?

[mom cat]

15. The pictures of the charred bodies are horrific. This is a war crime

in an illegal war!

[OneBlueSky]

16. it seems that all standards of "legal" warfare have been thrown out . . .

and the new rule is "anything goes" . . . cluster bombs, phosphorus weapons, depleted uranium, even nuclear "bunker busters" . . .

there was a time, not long ago, when the world reaction to such horrendous weapons would have been near unanimous condemnation . . . no longer . . . thanks to BushCo's use of all of these weapons in Iraq and Afghanistan, they seem to now be acceptable to the military commands of other nations as well . . . the Geneva Conventions and other international laws are not enforced -- hell, they're very seldom even mentioned by either the media or by political "leaders" . . .

we live in a new world of horrific warfare that threatens the very existance of life on Earth . . . individuals of stature needs to stand up and say "Enough!" and get world leaders to support their call . . . for if this continues, we'll soon see the actual use of nuclear weapons somewhere or other, and that's a Pandora's box that the planet cannot afford . . .

the world needs peacemakers . . . and it needs them now . . .

[TankLV]

17. While the TERRORISTS Hezbollah CONTINUES its INDISCRIMINATE

and INTENTIONAL bombing of INNOCENT CIVILIAN CENTERS!

And they don't even try to claim otherwise!

Israel is trying to wipe out these TERRORISTS, and is not intentionally hitting civilian targets. They are carefully targeting weapons stashes, as proven by the big explosions in most locations.

Not so with the TERRORISTS, huh!

But go ahead with your fantasies...

[Scurrilous]

19. "But go ahead with your fantasies.."

I like your fantasy better. :thumbsup:

[Clarkie1]

20. Well said.

Hezbollah is ultimately responsible for these deaths. They are not only the agressors, but they deliberate operate militarily from civilian areas. It is Hezbollah, not Israel, that actively seeks to maximize civilian casualties on BOTH sides.

And that's no fantasy.

[springhill]

21. Amazing...........

don't let the facts hit you in the face. Just because Israel does not state that it is targeting civilians does not mean that it's not happening. Their actions, their targets and the deaths show otherwise. But we all know that Israel, just like the good old US of A is just too good and civilized to do anything that despicable.