Amnesty International details Israeli war crimes in Lebanon

AI executive deputy secretary general Kate Gilmore dismissed as “manifestly wrong” Israel’s claims that its attacks were legitimate and legal. “Many of the violations identified in our report are war crimes, including indiscriminate and disproportionate attacks. The evidence strongly suggests that the extensive destruction of power and water plants, as well as the transport infrastructure vital for food and other humanitarian relief, was deliberate and an integral part of a military strategy,” she told the press.

Gilmore also took issue with Israeli assertions that it had simply targetted Hezbollah positions and support facilities, blaming civilian deaths on Hezbollah’s use of civilians as a “human shield”. “The pattern, scope and scale of the attacks makes Israel’s claim that this was ‘collateral damage’, simply not credible,” she said.

The report was based on first-hand information gathered by a field mission to Lebanon, interviews with dozens of victims and discussions with UN, Lebanese and Israeli officials and non-government organisations, as well as official statements and media accounts.

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http://wsws.org/articles/2006/aug2006/amne-a25.shtml