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The use of white phosphorous
Accusations that Israel employs sinister and “illegal” weapons are not new. Now, the politicized non-governmental organization Human Rights Watch has condemned Israel for allegedly using white phosphorus weapons unlawfully in the conflict with Hamas. NGOs such as HRW enjoy the “halo effect”, whereby, because of their humanitarian focus, they are insulated from scrutiny and are regarded as above reproach by the media. In this case, media including The Guardian, Times of London, Christian Science Monitor and CNN have repeated HRW’s claims.
However, this charge has been disputed by the International Red Cross, which stated that it had no evidence to suggest that white phosphorus is being used improperly or illegally by Israel. As the AP reports:
“In some of the strikes in Gaza it’s pretty clear that phosphorus was used,” [Peter] Herby told The Associated Press. “But it’s not very unusual to use phosphorus to create smoke or illuminate a target. We have no evidence to suggest it’s being used in any other way.” …
Herby said that using phosphorus to illuminate a target or create smoke is legitimate under international law, and that there was no evidence the Jewish state was intentionally using phosphorus in a questionable way, such as burning down buildings or consciously putting civilians at risk.
White phosphorus has, however, been used as a weapon against civilians during this conflict… by Hamas. On Tuesday a mortar shell fired from Gaza into Israel contained white phosphorus. As the regional council’s security chief said: “the potential danger of using such a rocket is enormous. It is far more dangerous than other Qassam rockets and mortal shells. This is an escalation in the type of explosives the Palestinians use on civilians.”
International law clearly delineates the lawfulness of the two kinds of ways white phosphorous has been used –the way Israel has used it to create smoke and illuminate targets is fully legal and indeed a common use. The way Hamas used it, packed into a mortar or rocket is illegal under international law.
| Print article | This entry was posted by Yael on January 15, 2009 at 8:41 pm, and is filed under Hamas, Palestinians, gaza. Follow any responses to this post through RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback from your own site. |
(Photo by Dani Machlis)
about 1 year ago
Just on the news, a UN supply store hit by three Israeli phosphor grenades.
about 1 year ago
Hamas wants to wipe out a cow with phosphor????
about 1 year ago
Ah I see the woman and young child hit today by a grad missile sent by Hamas to Beer Sheva and put into critical condition are really cows disguised as humans. Right, Hamas fires those expensive weapons in order to try to kill cows and it is just an accident that they land in (cow-filled) cities and schools.
about 1 year ago
Who made a link on her blog “Phosphorus mortar shell detected in Negev” ,
on the picture (they too do hate grass???) I see a cow shed.
Somwhere inside I do get the feeling you do not sympathize with cattle.
about 1 year ago
Mongrel, that cow shed belongs to a kibbutz in which hundreds of civilians live. In other words, thank g-d it hit next to the cow shed instead of on the houses close by –though I doubt the cows in the cowshed and pasture would agree with that sentiment if they could talk.
about 1 year ago
Mongrel, please consider adopting my philosophy in regard to groups that I identify with: Be ready to defend and be loyal to those groups, be the loudest to complain when they do wrong, and be proud when they do right. We lose our humanity when we justify evil and unfair acts by our group. When I was working on my graduate degree in political sociology and I became aware of acts that the US committed that I consider wrong and when I found our government supporting those that I felt were unfair to their people, I can tell you, I just about had a fit every single day. I was miserable. Honestly, Hamas seeks to destroy Israel, to kill civilians, and surely you do not agree with that. I really don’t know what to do with them, but they have to stop firing at civilians. I was thinking about this situation on the way home today, and I was wondering if it is wise to isolate a group such as Hamas. Yes, I know that it is a terrorist organization and that it is unwise to try to negoitate
with terrorists, but I wonder if talking would help? It seems not….they torture and kill those in their own group. I got this bit of information from interviews I saw (two former Hamas officers spoke out). I don’t want to hate anyone, but I hate what this group stands for. I wish this group would become more reasonable and peaceful.
about 1 year ago
White phosphorus has very little strategic advantage especially in this situation. Not sure why they’re using it other than it was probably normal mutions on hand. The smoke screen it creates can be done in other ways but those hundreds of little fireballs that come raining down are designed to hit anyone on the ground not just fighters. And when hit with them, you can’t just splash water on them to put them out. The ambers embed themselves inside the skin are designed to keep right on burning. The victim has to be immediately drenched in water for a period of time to put it out. It is a nasty, inhuman weapon with no practical purpose other than to inflict as much pain and suffering as possible. And before anyone starts…I am not defending Hamas in the least. But Hamas has nothing to do with the Israeli use of this weapon. And the PR blowback from it’s use isn’t worth it.
about 1 year ago
Jett, it sounds horrible and I agree with you that it should not be used. Ever. Israel denies using it, and why would they? They are not trying to hurt civilians.
Hamas IS using it in rockets on Israeli civilians.
Predictably, not a peep in the international mainstream media. However, the MSM is always quick to report unsubtantiated claims and those later found to be false —-all part of their plan to discredit Israel.
The IDF has been very, very careful to try to avoid civilian injuries and my feeling is that they would not use this weapon in densely populated Gaza.
about 1 year ago
Lynne, Israel does not deny it’s use.
about 1 year ago
Yes, it does. I read several sources that stated that they are not using these as weapons in a way that would compromise civilian safety, only to illuminate targets.
about 1 year ago
Lynne, the older you get the more scars you will have (in a matter of speaking of course), you’ll get promises from people or organisations, swearing on all what you want, and at a sudden you realise things to look a little different than what they have said.
Later when things have calmed down you will, for yourself, because we all have to live with ourselves under the conditions we shape, realise me to be more right than you.
In today’s De Volkskrant the site of PCHR is mentioned.
about 1 year ago
Jett — using white phosphorous to create smoke DOES NOT cause burns. It _can_ cause skin irritation if exposure to it is quite prolonged. It also can cause your eyes to burn and, if you are asthmatic you can have difficulty breathing in prolonged exposure. Incendiary white phosphorous, on the other hand, DOES cause burns of the sort you describe and that is NOT being used by the IDF. Again, I refer you to the statement of the International Red Cross.
about 1 year ago
A Jet(t) is allways right!