Israel used cluster grenades on civilians

Ahnimus
Ahnimus Posts: 10,560
edited July 2006 in A Moving Train
A US-based human rights group has accused Israel of using artillery-fired cluster grenades against a Lebanese village last week during its assault against Hezbollah.

Human Rights Watch said on Monday that it had taken photos of cluster grenades stored by Israeli artillery teams on the Israel-Lebanon border.

It also said that a cluster grenade attack on Wednesday killed one and wounded at least 12 civilians in the village of Blida.

"Cluster munitions are unacceptably inaccurate and unreliable weapons when used around civilians," Kenneth Roth, Human Rights Watch executive director, said in a statement.

"They should never be used in populated areas."

An Israeli army statement said: "The use of cluster munitions is legal under international law and the IDF [Israel Defence Forces] uses such munitions in accordance with international standards. We are checking the specific details of the incident mentioned in the report."

Violating a ban?

Human Rights Watch said it had photographed M483A1 artillery shells stored on the Israeli side of the border, which deliver 88 cluster sub-munitions per shell and have a failure rate of 14 per cent, often leaving behind dangerous unexploded shells.

It said it believed the use of cluster grenades in populated areas could violate a ban on indiscriminate attacks contained in international humanitarian law.

"Our research in Iraq and Kosovo shows that cluster munitions cannot be used in populated areas without huge loss of civilian life," Roth said.

"Israel must stop using cluster bombs in Lebanon at once."
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/7BE824EC-6574-457D-A77D-2DD1B2EDFCCA.htm

Translation
Human Rights Watch: Hey Israel, stop using cluster grenades, they kill too many civilians.
Israel: Well, no one said we couldn't use them. It doesn't matter if it kills a lot of civilians, what matters is it's legal.
I necessarily have the passion for writing this, and you have the passion for condemning me; both of us are equally fools, equally the toys of destiny. Your nature is to do harm, mine is to love truth, and to make it public in spite of you. - Voltaire
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • Eliot Rosewater
    Eliot Rosewater Posts: 2,659
    Ahnimus wrote:
    Israel: Well, no one said we couldn't use them. It doesn't matter if it kills a lot of civilians, what matters is it's legal.
    ...which is sadly an even higher standard than the U.S. has been held to.
  • jsand
    jsand Posts: 646
    Ahnimus wrote:
    Translation
    Human Rights Watch: Hey Israel, stop using cluster grenades, they kill too many civilians.
    Israel: Well, no one said we couldn't use them. It doesn't matter if it kills a lot of civilians, what matters is it's legal.

    Read: Distorted left-wing/socialist/Israel-bashing view.
  • Ahnimus
    Ahnimus Posts: 10,560
    jsand wrote:
    Read: Distorted left-wing/socialist/Israel-bashing view.

    How so? If you actually read the article, that's exactly what it says.
    I necessarily have the passion for writing this, and you have the passion for condemning me; both of us are equally fools, equally the toys of destiny. Your nature is to do harm, mine is to love truth, and to make it public in spite of you. - Voltaire
  • PaperPlates
    PaperPlates Posts: 1,745
    How do they compare to the shrapnel bombs loaded with projectiles that Hezbollah uses? All is fair in love and war..............isnt that the saying?
    Why go home

    www.myspace.com/jensvad
  • jsand
    jsand Posts: 646
    Ahnimus wrote:
    How so? If you actually read the article, that's exactly what it says.

    You know damn well it doesn't.
  • RockinInCanada
    RockinInCanada Posts: 2,016
    jsand wrote:
    Read: Distorted left-wing/socialist/Israel-bashing view.

    More labelling...and adding nothing positive to a discussion.....
  • jsand
    jsand Posts: 646
    I feel no need to discuss someone's warped "translation" of plain English. The statement from Israel does not say what he says it does, so what's to discuss?
  • Ahnimus
    Ahnimus Posts: 10,560
    jsand wrote:
    You know damn well it doesn't.

    I know damn well it does. The IDF soldier clearly states ""The use of cluster munitions is legal under international law and the IDF [Israel Defence Forces] uses such munitions in accordance with international standards." in response to "Cluster munitions are unacceptably inaccurate and unreliable weapons when used around civilians,"
    I necessarily have the passion for writing this, and you have the passion for condemning me; both of us are equally fools, equally the toys of destiny. Your nature is to do harm, mine is to love truth, and to make it public in spite of you. - Voltaire
  • jsand
    jsand Posts: 646
    Ahnimus wrote:
    I know damn well it does. The IDF soldier clearly states ""The use of cluster munitions is legal under international law and the IDF [Israel Defence Forces] uses such munitions in accordance with international standards." in response to "Cluster munitions are unacceptably inaccurate and unreliable weapons when used around civilians,"

    You're a sick racist, and I have no further need to discuss anything with you.
  • Ahnimus
    Ahnimus Posts: 10,560
    jsand wrote:
    You're a sick racist, and I have no further need to discuss anything with you.

    I take offense to being called a racist. How many Arab friends do you have?
    I necessarily have the passion for writing this, and you have the passion for condemning me; both of us are equally fools, equally the toys of destiny. Your nature is to do harm, mine is to love truth, and to make it public in spite of you. - Voltaire
  • miller8966
    miller8966 Posts: 1,450
    Ahnimus wrote:
    I take offense to being called a racist. How many Arab friends do you have?

    SO im not racist if i have a black friend...wow thats pretty stupid.
    America...the greatest Country in the world.
  • Ahnimus
    Ahnimus Posts: 10,560
    miller8966 wrote:
    SO im not racist if i have a black friend...wow thats pretty stupid.

    ????

    Nothing I said in this thread is even close to being racist, but Jsand accused me of being racist, so I clearly stated no and asked if he has any arab friends, which I doubt.
    I necessarily have the passion for writing this, and you have the passion for condemning me; both of us are equally fools, equally the toys of destiny. Your nature is to do harm, mine is to love truth, and to make it public in spite of you. - Voltaire
  • rightondude
    rightondude Posts: 745
    jsand wrote:
    You know damn well it doesn't.

    hahahahahahaaaaa! :D
  • El_Kabong
    El_Kabong Posts: 4,141
    are we surprised? they throw stun grenades in the middle of women and kids
    standin above the crowd
    he had a voice that was strong and loud and
    i swallowed his facade cos i'm so
    eager to identify with
    someone above the crowd
    someone who seemed to feel the same
    someone prepared to lead the way
  • Puck78
    Puck78 Posts: 737
    PaperPlates wrote:
    How do they compare to the shrapnel bombs loaded with projectiles that Hezbollah uses?
    simply, human rights watch appeals to governments.
    www.amnesty.org
    www.amnesty.org.uk
  • danmac
    danmac Posts: 387
    Hezbollah see all Israelis as legitimate targets, and are using whatever they want and not apologising for it, not dressing it up as a 'war on terror.'

    Israel state they are after 'terrorists' yet use indiscriminate weapons which do not kill terrorists but the wider population of a soveriegn nation.

    Therein lies the problem with regards to the 'ethics' of which weapons are being used.
    A tyrant must put on the appearance of uncommon devotion to religion. Subjects
    are less apprehensive of illegal treatment from a ruler whom they consider
    god-fearing and pious: Aristotle

    Viva Zapatista!

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