Amnesty denounces Israeli destruction of Palestinian homes as war crime

[Classical_Liberal]

The Amnesty report said that Israel has demolished more than 3,000 homes during the current three-year conflict with the Palestinians, most of them in the impoverished Gaza Strip. Also, Amnesty said, Israeli forces have levelled 10 per cent of Gaza's farmland.

The report said the demolition and destruction are "grave breaches of the fourth Geneva Convention and are war crimes." Calling on Israel to halt the practices immediately, Amnesty also said the house demolitions are linked to Israeli intentions to take over West Bank and Gaza land.

"In the vast majority of cases, it's wanton destruction," said Donatella Rovera, from the Middle East program of the London-based human rights group and a co-author of the report. "It's unnecessary, disproportionate, unjustified, and deliberate."....

Amnesty also accused Israel of collective punishment, demolishing homes and property of Palestinians who are not involved, even according to Israel, in attacks against Israel..........

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/World/2004/05/17/463368-ap.html

[dArKeR]

1. Israel guilty of war crimes, says AI

HUMAN RIGHTS: The destruction of thousands of homes in the Gaza Strip to improve security on the Egyptian border brought misery to displaced families

AP , JERUSALEM
Wednesday, May 19, 2004,Page 6

Israel is guilty of war crimes in its destruction of thousands of Palestinian homes in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, the human rights group Amnesty International (AI) charged in a report yesterday.

Release of the report coincided with an Israeli operation in the Rafah refugee camp on the Israel-Egypt border, where Israel was poised to knock down more houses to widen a buffer zone in its battle against weapons-smuggling tunnels.

The report said the demolition and destruction are "grave breaches of the Fourth Geneva Convention and are war crimes," calling on Israel to halt the practices immediately. Amnesty also said the house demolitions are linked to Israeli intentions to take over West Bank and Gaza land.

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2004/05/19/2003156124

[Lithos]

2. It is a bit more complicated than that

It is not a war crime if they do it for a valid military concern. HOWEVER, if that is the case, they are STILL under obligation to provide recompense and care to the people being displaced which they apparently are not doing.

But that said, I agree with this line:

"In the vast majority of cases, it's wanton destruction," said Donatella Rovera, from the Middle East program of the London-based human rights group and a co-author of the report. "It's unnecessary, disproportionate, unjustified, and deliberate."....

as the scope of the operations does make it difficult to make the claim on the basis of military need.

L-

[Classical_Liberal]

3. The trouble is nearly all war crimes are justified with valid

security concerns, so I am not sure I follow you on this point. The Jews for instance were considered a threat to security of Germany. NOt that this is the same level, but it is in the same category. The fact that they used a valid security argument didn't mean what was done wasn't a crime.

[Lithos]

5. Some more detail

A valid military threat would be needing to destroy a house or grove because it was interfering with line of sight, or they needed the land to develop a military base (airfield, whatever).

However, what transpired for the Japanese internment in the continental US during WWII was politically motivated and had nothing to do with any real threat. However, some relocation away from bases in Hawaii, Midway or the Aleutians might have been justified. It's very complicated and must be judged on a case by case basis.

But again, the issue of maintaining livelihood and adequate recompense must be addressed. In the case of Japanese internment or the example you gave, neither happened. And from what I understand, it is not happening in Gaza as well.

L-

[ze_dscherman]

4. Bush is troubled

http://www.guardian.co.uk/cartoons/stevebell/0,7371,1220062,00.html