Amnesty Condemns Palestinians
Joe | 12.07.2002 13:57
Amnesty International describes Palestinian attacks as crimes against humanity which should end immediately.
"The attacks against civilians by Palestinian armed groups are widespread, systematic and in pursuit of an explicit policy to attack civilians," the Amnesty report said.
"They constitute crimes against humanity... They may also constitute war crimes."
Amnesty urges the Palestinian Authority to arrest and bring to justice those who order, plan or carry out such attacks.
Over the years the bulk of Amnesty's work in the region has highlighted abuses by Israel, making Thursday's report an unusual departure.
"I am really happy that Amnesty officials have seen the light," said Israeli Justice Minister Meir Sheetrit.
This is Amnesty International's seventh report on the human rights situation in the region since the Palestinian uprising against Israeli rule erupted in September 2000.
It says the attacks by Palestinian militants on civilians violated "fundamental principles of humanity which are reflected in international humanitarian law".
Usually it is Israel that Amnesty criticises
The group says that since the Palestinian uprising began in September 2000 at least 350 civilians - the vast majority of them Israeli - have been killed in more than 128 attacks by Palestinian militants.
More than 1,500 Palestinians have been killed in the violence.
Recent opinion polls conducted in Palestinian areas suggest there is strong support for suicide bombings, which people see as part of the struggle to liberate their land.
"Whatever the cause for which people are fighting, there can never be a justification... under international law... for direct attacks on civilians," Amnesty said.
Joe
Comments
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dodgy title up there
12.07.2002 14:46
Josh
e-mail: osh_josh_bgosh@nospam.hotmail.com
mind your language
12.07.2002 15:09
whereas
'More than 1,500 Palestinians have been killed in the violence'
shouldn't that be ''More than 1,500 Palestinians have been killed in x attacks by israeli settlers and armed forces'?
I think it was chomsky who pointed out the way that language is used to neutralise the aggression of one side's in a conflict.
christopher spence
Good point Christopher
12.07.2002 16:49
Adam
Not the first error by AI
13.07.2002 00:59
These terrorist killings by the IDF are the latest in the past 21 months. During this time period, 1750 Palestinians and 550 Israelis have been killed in this conflict. As in all modern wars, most of the victims on both sides have been innocent civilians. The American mainstream media and Israeli right-wing propaganda would have us believe that all killings of Palestinian is due to Palestinian terrorism, and that all killings of Israelis is also due to Palestinian terrorism.
AI has been fooled before. You may emember the infamous Iraqui baby killing lies that were peddled by the warmongers just prior to the Gulf war vote in Gongress.
AI was taken in on this complete fabrication, which has been called the most important factor in getting enough Democrats to join the Republican in voting for war.
After the war and after the baby killing was discovered to have been completely made up in order to further demonize Sadam, AI had to print an apology to its members.
rene
Amnesty and the others
13.07.2002 10:34
When israel massacre palestiniens, it's very difficult to say describe them as war criminals... but when settellers -that means killers - are killed, we can easily say : israeli civilians...
Ask your selves,
howmany israeli are armed and howmanynpalestinians ?
how many palestinan children were kiled by the israeli nazi army before any reaction of palestinians ? When palestinian children die, it's the vilolence, ...
May you think again if you're humans...?
someone
Rules of war
15.07.2002 01:11
By way of deflecting the most obvious retort ie "What else can palestinians do to fight back?" A) Gandhi proved the most effective method is non-violence, the moral superiority being far more valuable than tactical, which the Palestinians will never achieve and B) If they must fight, restricting themselves to military targets would be the easiest way to get such moral superiority in a combat situation.
Jack McDonald
e-mail: jack.mcdonald@kcl.ac.uk