Amnesty International: Israeli Lebanon War Report "Deeply Flawed" -AFP

[bemildred]

LONDON (AFP)--Human rights group Amnesty International Thursday criticized an Israeli report into the 2006 Lebanon war, saying it had failed to address major issues, including war crimes committed by its soldiers.

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Amnesty's Middle East and North Africa program director, Malcolm Smart, said the study was "another missed opportunity to address the policies and decisions behind the grave violations of international humanitarian law - including war crimes - committed by Israeli forces".

"The indiscriminate killings of many Lebanese civilians not involved in the hostilities and the deliberate and wanton destruction of civilian properties and infrastructure on a massive scale were given no more than token consideration by the commission," he added.

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Thursday it recommended Israel set up an independent inquiry into its soldiers' actions and a ban on cluster bombs, as well as helping the clean-up operation by providing data about where they were fired.

NASDAQ

[subsuelo]

1. "Indiscriminate killings of civilians".. "wanton desctruction of civilian properties"...

In other words, terrorism.

[Tom Joad]

2. Yes, the Israeli military conducted a war of terror against the people of Lebanon.

[msmcghee]

3. War is terror as anyone . .

. . who has been in one will tell you.

That's why people should not start them - or support those who do.

[subsuelo]

5. Would you allow Hamas the same excuse?

[Shaktimaan]

7. Is this a serious question?

You seem to believe that Israel intentionally targeted civilians in Lebanon. Is that really what you think occurred?

[kayecy]

8. Shall we say it was criminally negligent in using cluster bombs in civilian areas.....

[subsuelo]

9. of course Israel intentionally targeted civilians

when have they ever not?

[Name removed]

10. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[henank]

11. My post was deleted

for no discernible reason that I can make out. There was not one word of untruth in it. I shall repost it now with a slight edit.

Israel never intentionally targets civilians. Why would she do that? Why waste valuable ammunition and bombs on innocent people.

HOWEVER - Hizbollah, Hamas, Fatah and all the rest of the cocktail of terrorist organizations have absolutely no compunction in operating out of civilian areas - using the civilians as shields in fact - knowing that they are in a win-win situation. If they get themselves killed - why, they're martyrs for the cause. And if civilians get killed in the process, why, they too are martyred, plus it makes Israel look bad.

Moreover these same terrorists have no scruples in intentionally targeting Israeli civilians, as can be seen from every single one of their terrorist attacks.

[subsuelo]

12. Saying so doesn't make it true, you know

Over a third Palestinians killed were civilians uninvolved in the fighting, according to human rights group BT-Selem. Over 50% in 2006 were innocent civilians. Think about it. Over half were civilians. And you think just saying "Israel never intentionally targets civilians" makes it true? The numbers do not lie my friend. The numbers just do not lie.

[bemildred]

4. But it was still the right decision.

Just because you decide to do something bad, that doesn't mean you are a bad decider. Even the best good deciders still unfortunately sometimes decide to do bad things. It's just tragic, really. I told various parties here that Israel would rue the day it decided to start this war, but I am not a good decider, so that doesn't mean much. Just because you decide to do the right thing, that doesn't mean you are a good decider either. Just because they started a war that did lots of harm and no good to anybody, except possibly Israel's enemies, that doesn't mean it was the wrong thing to do or that the people that decided to do it are bad deciders. I hope this has clarified the matter for you.

[azurnoir]

6. I have to decide n/t