HRW claim Hamas 'did target civilians in Gaza war'

[oberliner]

AFP - Human Rights Watch on Thursday rejected Hamas claims that the Islamists did not target civilians during Israel's devastating Gaza offensive just over a year ago.

"Hamas?s claim that rockets were intended to hit Israeli military targets and only accidentally harmed civilians is belied by the facts," the New York-based group said.

HRW issued its statement after the Islamist rulers of the Gaza Strip said its investigations of allegations in a UN report on the Gaza war found that they and other Palestinian armed groups "struck military targets and avoided civilian targets."

HRW pointed out that most of the rocket attacks on Israel hit civilian areas. "Civilians were the target," the rights group said, adding that "deliberately targeting civilians is a war crime."

http://www.france24.com/en/20100128-hrw-claim-hamas-did-target-civilians-gaza-war

[Violet_Crumble]

1. Welcome back! That was a short break! n/t

[ProgressiveMuslim]

5. LOL! Obie couldn't tolerate the dearth of anti-Hamas OPs!

Just kidding... sort of.

Welcome back.

[dipsydoodle]

2. They can't actually target anything specific with their rockets.

It's pot luck to them . The purpose of the rockets is to create fear and its in retalation.

[leveymg]

3. You can't target anyone with a bottle rocket that has no guidance system

A militarily worthless weapon is nothing more than a dangerous toy. Very effective, however, at getting some people all agitated. If Hamas had nothing but bows and arrows or slingshots they'd be calling the quiver or the pebble missiles.

[azurnoir]

4. Goldstone said so too

"The Mission has further determined that these attacks constitute indiscriminate attacks upon the civilian population of southern Israel and that, where there is no intended military target and the rockets and mortars are launched into a civilian population, they constitute a deliberate attack against a civilian population. These acts would constitute war crimes and may amount to crimes against humanity.

"Given the seeming inability of the Palestinian armed groups to direct the rockets and mortars towards specific targets and given that the attacks have caused very little damage to Israeli military assets, the Mission finds that there is significant evidence to suggest that one of the primary purposes of the rocket and mortar attacks is to spread terror among the Israeli civilian population, a violation of international law.

"Noting that some of the Palestinian armed groups, among them Hamas, have publicly expressed their intention to target civilians in reprisal for the civilian fatalities in Gaza as a result of Israeli military operations, the Mission is of the view that reprisals against civilians in armed hostilities are contrary to international humanitarian law."

<snip>

"From the facts it ascertained, the Mission finds that the Palestinian armed groups have failed in their duty to protect and respect civilians. Even though the al-Qassam Brigades and other armed groups in Gaza have recently claimed that they do not intend to harm civilians, the fact that they continue to launch rockets at populated areas without any definite military targets and are aware of the consequences to civilians indicates an intent to target civilians."

Given the gravity of its allegations, the commission said it sought clarification from armed groups during its investigations over the summer, requesting consultations with representatives. "However, the groups were not agreeable to such a meeting. ... Despite various attempts, the Mission was unable to contact members of armed factions operating within the Gaza Strip." The commission, consequently, "had little option but to rely upon indirect sources to a greater extent than for other parts of its investigation."

http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=250397

welcome back

[Alamuti Lotus]

6. What was the body count there, again?

Bit of a macabre game, but consider some perspective: over 5,000 murdered and maimed in Gaza, something like 12 Israelis killed, a handful at most injured, and most of those being invading soldiers. Considering intentions is fine, but what really tips the scales here?

[pelsar]

7. perhaps you might want to add to your scales...

8,000 missiles terrorizing 100,000s of people day and night for years...giving them 15 sec to sprint, wake up go to the shelter, etc......for years

or i guess your upset with israel for making anti kassam shelters all over sederot and the environs?

[eyl]

8. Next time,

maybe we should haul some people out of the shelters and shoot them.

:sarcasm: