By Bobby Rajabi
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

BAGHDAD, Iraq – On February 1 a female suicide bomber attacked a procession of Shi’ite Muslims who were on a pilgrimage to the southern city of Karbala, located approximately eighty kilometers southwest of Baghdad. The attack killed at least fifty four people. Among the dead were many women and children. Additionally, over one hundred people were injured in the attack.

Major-General Qassim Atta, the spokesman for the Baghdad operational command confirmed that “a woman wearing an explosives-filled belt blew herself up in the middle of a crow of pilgrims going to Karbala.” Defense ministry spokesman General Mohammed al-Askari said that the suicide bomber came for Diyala province which has in the past been a stronghold of Al Qaeda.

Hundreds of thousands of Shi’ites pour into the streets for the religious rite of Arbaeen. It marks the forty days after the Ahsura anniversary that commemorates the killing of seventh century Imam Hussein. Imam Hussein’s shrine is considered one of the holiest places in Shi’ite Islam. Worshipers beating their heads and chests in ritual mourning. Due to risk of attacks, thirty thousand members of the Iraqi security forces were deployed to Karbala for the holy festival.

This was the third attack by suspected Sunni insurgents in the past week. Top Baghdad security officials have been forced to acknowledge that extremists are adopting new methods to outwit bomb-detection squads. Iraqi authorities lack enough policewomen to conduct searches at most checkpoints. Additionally, security forces have been reluctant to use bomb-sniffing dogs against people due cultural sensitivities. Atta insisted that security officials informed all checkpoints to be careful and to intensify the search procedures.

Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki’s released a statement blaming the Baath party. This was the party of executed Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. The statement said, “We hold Baathists and their Takfiri allies responsible for this massacre.” Takfiri is the term used by the Iraqi government for members of Al Qaeda.

US and Iraqi officials have feared a step up in violence from Al Qaeda in Iraq prior to the March 7 parliamentary elections. The elections are intended to serve as a large step towards reconciliation between the majority Shi’ites and Sunnis who lost control after Hussein was removed.

For more information, please see:

Al Jazeera – Deadly Blast Hits Iraq Pilgrims – 2 February 2010

AP – Female Suicide Bomber in Iraq Kills 54 – 2 February 2010

AFP – Female Suicide Bomber Kills 41 in Baghdad: Officials – 1 February 2010

BBC – Female Suicide Bomber Kills Dozens in Iraq -1 February 2010

By Brandon Kaufman
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

By Meredith Lee-Clark

Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

 

JERUSALEM, Israel/West Bank – Israel announced on February 1 that it has reprimanded two top military officers for an attack on a United Nations’ compound in Gaza during Israel’s Operation Cast Lead in the winter of 2008-2009.

 

The UN compound, in Gaza’s Tel Al-Hawa neighborhood, was hit by white phosphorus shells on January 15, 2009. The compound had been sheltering nearly seven hundred Palestinians who were trying to escape the heavy artillery that rained down on Gaza. Israeli newspaper Ha’aretz had reported that one UN employee and two Palestinian civilians were injured in the shelling of the UN compound.

 

Israel’s admission was part of its response to Judge Richard Goldstone’s report on the Gaza War, commissioned by the UN Human Rights Council. The Goldstone Report accused both Israel and Hamas of committing war crimes during the twenty-two-day conflict. After the Goldstone Report was submitted to the UN, the General Assembly demanded that both Israel and Hamas conduct internal investigations into the allegations of war crimes. The Israeli official response came after months-long investigations opened by Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi. One of the investigating teams specifically looked into the use of white phosphorus shells in Gaza, and found that there were no violations of orders and that the white phosphorus shells had been fired in open areas.

 

White phosphorus is most often used to illuminate enemy targets and to create a smoke screen, but is also highly incendiary and can burn flesh. The shells contain hundreds of pieces of felt loaded with phosphorus that ignite when fired from 155 mm. cannon. White phosphorus is legal when used in open ground, but under international conventions, its use is banned in built-up areas where civilians are located.

 

The two commanders who had reportedly been reprimanded were Division Commander Brig. Gen. Eyal Eisenberg and Givati Brigade Commander Col. Ilan Malka. The two officers did not lose their rank, but Israeli officials said the reprimand would be placed in their files, and would be considered if the two men came up for promotion.

 

The UN deadline for Israel and Hamas to conduct internal investigations is February 5, 2010. Hamas has not conducted its own internal investigation.

 

For more information, please see:

 

BBC News – Israel Reprimands Top Officers Over UN Compound Strike – 1 February 2010

 

Ha’aretz – IDF Denies Disciplining Top Officers Over White Phosphorus Use in Gaza War – 1 February 2010

 

Ma’an News Agency – Israel’s Goldstone Response Admits Use of White Phosphorus – 1 February 2010

 

New York Times – Israel Rebukes 2 for U.N. Gaza Compound Shelling – 1 February 2010

 

Palestine News Network – Israel “Disciplines” Army Officers – 1 February 2010

By Meredith Lee-Clark
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

 JERUSALEM, Israel/West Bank – Israel announced on February 1 that it has reprimanded two top military officers for an attack on a United Nations’ compound in Gaza during Israel’s Operation Cast Lead in the winter of 2008-2009. 

 The UN compound, in Gaza’s Tel Al-Hawa neighborhood, was hit by white phosphorus shells on January 15, 2009.  The compound had been sheltering nearly seven hundred Palestinians who were trying to escape the heavy artillery that rained down on Gaza.  Israeli newspaper Ha’aretz had reported that one UN employee and two Palestinian civilians were injured in the shelling of the UN compound.

 Israel’s admission was part of its response to Judge Richard Goldstone’s report on the Gaza War, commissioned by the UN Human Rights Council.  The Goldstone Report accused both Israel and Hamas of committing war crimes during the twenty-two-day conflict.  After the Goldstone Report was submitted to the UN, the General Assembly demanded that both Israel and Hamas conduct internal investigations into the allegations of war crimes.  The Israeli official response came after months-long investigations opened by Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi.  One of the investigating teams specifically looked into the use of white phosphorus shells in Gaza, and found that there were no violations of orders and that the white phosphorus shells had been fired in open areas.

 White phosphorus is most often used to illuminate enemy targets and to create a smoke screen, but is also highly incendiary and can burn flesh.  The shells contain hundreds of pieces of felt loaded with phosphorus that ignite when fired from 155 mm. cannon.  White phosphorus is legal when used in open ground, but under international conventions, its use is banned in built-up areas where civilians are located.

 The two commanders who had reportedly been reprimanded were Division Commander Brig. Gen. Eyal Eisenberg and Givati Brigade Commander Col. Ilan Malka.  The two officers did not lose their rank, but Israeli officials said the reprimand would be placed in their files, and would be considered if the two men came up for promotion.

 The UN deadline for Israel and Hamas to conduct internal investigations is February 5, 2010.  Hamas has not conducted its own internal investigation.

 For more information, please see:

 BBC News – Israel Reprimands Top Officers Over UN Compound Strike – 1 February 2010

 Ha’aretz – IDF Denies Disciplining Top Officers Over White Phosphorus Use in Gaza War – 1 February 2010

 Ma’an News Agency – Israel’s Goldstone Response Admits Use of White Phosphorus – 1 February 2010

 New York Times – Israel Rebukes 2 for U.N. Gaza Compound Shelling – 1 February 2010

 Palestine News Network – Israel “Disciplines” Army Officers – 1 February 2010

By Meredith Lee-Clark

Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

 

JERUSALEM, Israel/West Bank – As the U.N. General Assembly’s deadline for a second report on the 2008-2009 Gaza War approaches on January 29, both the Israeli government and Hamas party leadership are denying they deliberately targeted citizens during the 22 days of fighting.

 

Israel announced that it would release its own report on January 29, responding to allegations of war crimes, made in the investigation by the U.N. Human Rights Council, and was led by South African Judge Richard Goldstone. The Goldstone Report accused both Israel and Hamas with war crimes and crimes against humanity, citing incidents during which each party’s military forces allegedly targeted civilian populations. The Goldstone Report also alleged that Israeli forces deliberately targeted humanitarian property, with the intent of completely destroying the Gaza infrastructure and terrorizing the Gaza population. Finally, the Goldstone Report called upon both the Israeli and Hamas governments to conduct internal investigations into its accusations, and for any war crimes to be tried by the International Court of Justice at The Hague.

 

In its anticipated response, Israel is expected to give explanations of Israeli Defense Forces actions in Gaza, without specifically addressing any of the allegations in the Goldstone Report. Likewise, Hamas has claimed that it only targeted Israeli military installations, and hit civilian buildings “by mistake.” Human Rights Watch has responded to the Hamas statement, saying it was “belied by the facts,” and that “[c]ivilians were the target…and deliberately targeting civilians is a war crime.”

 

Outgoing Israeli Attorney General Menachem Mazuz told the Israeli newspaper Ha’aretz on January 28 that Israel must conduct an independent internal investigation into the Goldstone Report’s allegations to preserve its legitimacy.

 

Mazuz said that although he thought the Goldstone Report was biased, there was a danger of a “Serbianization” of Israel.

 

“Therefore I believe that Israel has a clear interest in conducting a serious, expert examination that will deal with the report and produce an opposing report,” said Mazuz. “It would be a serious mistake not to establish some sort of committee. We must remove the shame of accusing Israel of being a country that commits war crimes.”

 

For more information, please see:

 

Ha’aretz – Deadline Nears For Second UN Report on Gaza War – 29 January 2010

 

Ha’aretz – Mazuz: Israel Must Probe Gaza War to Counter Goldstone – 29 January 2010

 

Christian Science Monitor – Why Hamas Is Denying It Targeted Civilians in Israel – 28 January 2010

 

New York Times – Israel Completing Rebuttal to Goldstone Report – 23 January 2010