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PMWATCH
-- November 18, 2002 -- On May 10, 2002, Human Rights Watch issued a press release in which it stated the following:
The Israel Defense Forces' (IDF) decision to prohibit the use of Palestinian civilians
as "human shields" during military operations is an important step forward toward
complying with the requirements of international humanitarian law,
Human Rights Watch said today.
Human Rights Watch also urged the IDF to take further action to stop
the coerced use of Palestinian civilians during military operations,
an issue the IDF said it would "examine," and reiterated its call for
a full investigation into allegations of serious law of war
violations committed by Israeli forces in Jenin.
"The Israeli army has taken an important step towards respecting the
laws of war," said Hanny Megally, executive director of the Middle
East and North Africa division of Human Rights Watch. "But there are
many other Israeli army practices that similarly violate
international standards and require the same unequivocal and
immediate action."
http://www.hrea.org/lists/hr-headlines/markup/100502.php
However, according to the latest report from the Israeli human rights group B'Tselem, the IDF has been practicing this outlwed procedure -- oulawed by the Geneva Conventions
as well as by Israeli courts -- all along during its violent military operations in the
Occupied Territories.
In that report,
B'Tselem exposes a list of incidents in which the IDF violated a High Court of
Justice injunction by using Palestinians as human shields (as part of the "neighbor procedure").
The report reveals for the first time that IDF soldiers also used Palestinian civilians in the
action that led to the killing of Iyad Sawalha in Jenin [November 3, 2002].
For full report, see:
http://www.btselem.org/English/Publications/Full_Text/Human_Shield/index.asp
Please press
the media to cover these findings. Such criminal practices by the IDF -- this assault
on the basic human dignity of Palestinian civilians, this total disregard for innocent human
life -- are the very fuel that drive Palestinians to their acts of desperation.
Also, drop Human Rights Watch a note and let them know that they need to revise their
original praise for the IDF. They were clearly duped, and they need to at least release
a statement over Israeli lies and duplicity. Their contact information is:
350 Fifth Avenue, 34th floor
New York, NY 10118-3299 USA
Tel: 1-(212) 290-4700, Fax: 1-(212) 736-1300
hrwnyc@hrw.org
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