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

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

By Bobby Rajabi
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

TEHRAN, Iran – On January 28 the Iranian government hanged two men convicted of being enemies of God (Mohareb). These marked the first executions of protesters wince the protests over the disputed presidential election in June that awarded second term to Iranian President Mahmound Ahmedinejad. The executions of the two men were condemned by both nations around the world and Amnesty International.

Iranian state television reported that Mohammad Reza Ali Zamani and Arash Rahmani Pour were executed. Tehran prosecutor Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi confirmed the hanging as well. Dolatabadi explained that “they objected to the preliminary sentencing, but the appeals court upheld the verdict and they were hanged (on January 28.” He also said that Zamani and Pour “belonged to the monarchist group Tondar. During their trials they confessed to obtaining explosives and planning to assassinate officials.”

Zamani was among the scores of people who were arrested in the mass protests that followed the election. However, Pour’s lawyer, Nasrin Sotoudeh, denied that her client had anything to do with the post-election riots. Sotoudeh told the Associated Foreign Press that Pour “was arrested in Farvardin (the Iranian month convering March-April) before the election and charged with cooperation with Tondar.”

Sotoudeh explained that Pour was convicted in a show trial in July 2009 and that he confessed to the charges because of threats made against his family. She insists that what her client went through constituted a “show trial.”

Baqer Moin, an Iranian author and journalists, said that the executions were intended to “set an example and frighten some of the people who may shout slogans that are not of the liking of the authorities.” Moin also explains that the executions could be used to head off any possible mass rally that could take place on the anniversary of the 1979 Iranian Revolution.

Civil unrest erupted in Iran after the June 12 Presidential election. The opposition insisted that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad won the election through fraud. Hundreds of thousands of Iranians poured into the streets. Dozens of protesters were killed with hundreds being detained. The Iranian government, in response to the protests, insisted that they were were a foreign backed bid to undermine the country’s Islamic system of government.

For more information, please see:

AFP – Iran Hangs First Two Post-Election ‘Rioters’ – 28 January 2010

Al Jazeera – Iran Executes Two Over Poll Unrest – 28 January 2010

AP – Iran Hangs Opposition Activists – 28 January 2010

BBC – Iran ‘Executes Two Over Post-Election Unrest’ – 28 January 2010