Really, could Human Rights Watch be any more obvious? They issued a report accusing Israel of violating the laws of war, yet they did not wait for the IDF report refuting the charges.
Human Rights Watch sent detailed information about the cases to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on January 14, 2013, requesting further information. At a meeting on January 24 and in subsequent phone conversations, the military spokesperson’s office told Human Rights Watch that the military chief of staff had ordered a general (aluf) to conduct an “operational debriefing” (tahkir mivtza’i) concerning “dozens” of Israeli attacks during the conflict, including the cases Human Rights Watch investigated, which would be completed by late February.
Because previous Israeli “operational debriefings” involving attacks were not conducted by trained military police investigators or dedicated to investigating alleged laws-of-war violations, Human Rights Watch has decided to publish its findings rather than wait for their results.
It’s like they’re not even pretending to be unbiased anymore. And here we also find how Israel’s military is held to the highest possible standards, while so many other nations apparently get a bye. Take a look at the incident below. There is no mention that hiding among civilians is in violation of the laws of war. But there sure are a lot of excuses for the collateral damage that occurs when a Hamas terrorist is killed hiding among them.
Several other strikes may have been targeting military objectives, but the harm to civilians and civilian objects appears disproportionate, Human Rights Watch said. The laws of war prohibit attacks in which the expected loss of civilian life and property exceeds the anticipated military gain.
An aerial bomb that may have targeted a member of Hamas’s armed wing on November 20 killed him but also destroyed his family’s house in Rafah, killed his 17-year-old brother, blinded their father’s wife, and wounded six of their siblings. A Hellfire missile strike that may have been targeting the home of a member of a Palestinian armed group killed at least three civilians and wounded at least 20 others, many of them outside on a crowded street. The alleged militant was not at home at the time.
They also title a section “Attacks with No Apparent Military Objective,” yet how would they know there was no military objective if they refuse to wait for the IDF report, and also discount the IDF investigation regardless?
This is a kangaroo court, in which Israel was tried, found guilty, and sentenced without any representation of the Israeli side.
Nice going, HRW.
By the way, I’m really glad I never contributed a dime to HRW in my younger, foolish, liberal days.
Footnote: Of course the AP is spreading this propaganda far and wide. Paragraphs five and six, which will be cut off in most World News sections of your local paper, are where the AP chooses to publish the other side of the story.
An Israeli military spokeswoman said the army “established an inquiry board” headed by a major general to look into the eight-day operation, including incidents raised by HRW. She said the board’s work hadn’t yet been completed.
“It is regrettable that the organization has opted to publish unverified claims,” the spokeswoman said. She could not be identified, citing military policy.
Just another day in anti-Israel land (a.k.a.: Real life).