Israel Committing War Crimes: HRW

"In some instances, Israeli forces appear to have deliberately targeted civilians," said the international group.

"In some instances, Israeli forces appear to have deliberately targeted civilians," said the New York-based rights group in a report posted in its website.

"In some cases, these attacks constitute war crimes," added the 52-page report, entitled "Fatal Strikes: Israel's Indiscriminate Attacks Against Civilians in Lebanon."

The international watchdog said Israel has systematically failed to distinguish between civilians and combatants.

"The failures cannot be dismissed as mere accidents and cannot be blamed on wrongful Hizbullah practices."

An Israeli inquiry claimed Thursday that the Qana carnage was a mistake, claiming that Hizbullah was using Lebanese civilians as human shields.

Up to 900 Lebanese people, third of whom are children, have been killed since Israel launched a wide-scale blitz in Lebanon on the pretext of seeking the release of two soldiers captured by Hizbullah.

The hard-won infrastructure of the Arab country has been left in ruins, with Israel knocking out Beirut international airport, bombing ports, destroying bridges, setting power stations ablaze and reducing houses to rubble.

Disregard

"The pattern of attacks shows the Israeli military’s disturbing disregard for the lives of Lebanese civilians," said Kenneth Roth, HRW executive director.

"Israeli warnings of imminent attacks do not turn civilians into military targets."

Israel claims that its air strikes are meant to destroy Hizbullah infrastructure and stop rocket fire into northern Israel.

The Israeli military also alleges that Hizbullah fighters are hiding rockets in civilian areas.

"Our research shows that Israel’s claim that Hizbullah fighters are hiding among civilians does not explain, let alone justify, Israel’s indiscriminate warfare," said the report.

"…none of the evidence gathered by Human Rights Watch or reported to date by independent media sources indicate that any of the attacks on vehicles documented in the report resulted in Hizbollah casualties or the destruction of weapons."

The report is based on interviews with survivors of Israeli attacks, visits to blast sites, and information from hospitals, aid groups, Lebanon's government and Israel's forces.

Cases

"The pattern of attacks shows the Israeli military’s disturbing disregard for the lives of Lebanese civilians," Roth said.

"In one case, an Israeli air strike on July 13 destroyed the home of a cleric known to have sympathy for Hizbullah but who was not known to have taken any active part in the hostilities.

"… the strike killed him, his wife, their 10 children and the family’s Sri Lankan maid," it added.

Israeli forces also attacked a civilian home in the village of Aitaroun on July 16, killing 11 family members.

"Among them seven Canadian-Lebanese dual nationals who were vacating in the village when the war began," said the HRW.

"Among the victims were children aged one, three, five and seven."

Int'l Inquiry

The New York-based rights group also accused Israel of targeting Lebanese civilians while fleeing its bombardment of the south.

"Hundreds of thousands of Lebanese have fled their homes, but Israeli forces have fired with warplanes and artillery on dozens of civilian vehicles, many flying white flags.

"The attacks have killed and wounded civilians who were fleeing their homes after the (Israeli army) IDF issued instructions to evacuate.

The international watchdog called for establishing an international commission to investigate violations and war crimes in the current conflict.

It also urged the US to immediately suspend transfer of arms, ammunition, and other materials to Israel to be used in the war in violation of international humanitarian law.

Washington drew rebuke across the Arab and Muslim world for shipping arms and leaser-guided bombs to Israel to be used during the war.

Click to read HRW's report in Full