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Israel/Palestine
In reply to the discussion: Hamas's Civilian Death Strategy [View all]azurnoir
(45,850 posts)47. and the rest from B'tselem in short it's no excuse for IDF
As was the case four years ago, Israeli officials are now using the conduct of Palestinian organizations to justify harm to Palestinian civilians. The military has committed itself to doing its utmost to minimize harm to civilians. However it also emphasized that it is not responsible for harm inflicted to civilians.
However, this position is fundamentally flawed. The fact that Hamas combatants and other organizations operate contrary to the law does not automatically justify Israeli actions that harm civilians. The fact that one side violates the law does not give the other side the right to violate it as well. Israel is still bound by the duty legal and moral to use all the means at its disposal to minimize as much as possible harm to civilians, despite Hamas' illegal conduct.
During Operation Cast Lead, the Israeli military ignored this principle. B'Tselem cautions against the possibility that it will ignore it in the current operation as well, in order to justify harm to the civilian population. Therefore, and based on the lessons of the previous operation, B'Tselem wishes to emphasize some basic rules by which the military must operate, in keeping with commitments undertaken by the State of Israel:
However, this position is fundamentally flawed. The fact that Hamas combatants and other organizations operate contrary to the law does not automatically justify Israeli actions that harm civilians. The fact that one side violates the law does not give the other side the right to violate it as well. Israel is still bound by the duty legal and moral to use all the means at its disposal to minimize as much as possible harm to civilians, despite Hamas' illegal conduct.
During Operation Cast Lead, the Israeli military ignored this principle. B'Tselem cautions against the possibility that it will ignore it in the current operation as well, in order to justify harm to the civilian population. Therefore, and based on the lessons of the previous operation, B'Tselem wishes to emphasize some basic rules by which the military must operate, in keeping with commitments undertaken by the State of Israel:
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Theer you go again, shira. You're up to the same old game of planned disinformation.
R. Daneel Olivaw
Jul 2014
#40
i think the ones putting the kids in harms way and then inviting attack are the guilty ones
samsingh
Jul 2014
#27
So Israel is inviting Palestinian refugees into Israel have I got that right? how many
azurnoir
Jul 2014
#8
Sounds To Me That Innocent People Are Trying To Protect Their Homes Any Way They Can
wellst0nev0ter
Jul 2014
#66
"and allow them to set up shop in your living room as their base of operations."
Fozzledick
Jul 2014
#38
Too bad they can't learn much about proficiency in urban warfare from the IDF...
shaayecanaan
Jul 2014
#42
(Video) Hamas using Palestinians as human shields: We desire Death as you desire Life
shira
Jul 2014
#50
Israel is still doing its best to distinguish b/w civilians and combatants. That's a fact....
shira
Jul 2014
#57