BBC : Hezbollah accused of war crimes

Hezbollah accused of war crimes

BBC News | September 14, 2006

Amnesty International has accused Hezbollah of acts amounting to war crimes in the conflict with Israel.

The group said Hezbollah deliberately targeted civilians with rockets in the 34-day war - a "serious violation of international humanitarian law".

An earlier Amnesty report accused Israel of committing war crimes by deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure in Lebanon.

Amnesty again urged a UN inquiry into violations by both sides.

'No justification'

The latest Amnesty report said: "Hezbollah's rocket attacks on northern Israel amounted to deliberate attacks on civilians and civilian objects, as well as indiscriminate attacks, both war crimes under international law."

It said Hezbollah had fired nearly 4,000 rockets into northern Israel, killing 43 civilians and forcing hundreds of thousands to flee.

It noted that although Hezbollah had said its policy was not to target civilians, its leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah said the policy was changed in reprisal for Israeli attacks on Lebanese civilian areas.

It quoted Sheikh Nasrallah as saying: "As long as the enemy undertakes its aggression without limits or red lines, we will also respond without limits or red lines."

Amnesty said Israel's violations could in no way justify Hezbollah's actions.

Amnesty International's Secretary General, Irene Khan, said: "Civilians must not be made to pay the price for unlawful conduct on either side."

Amnesty repeated its call for "a comprehensive, independent and impartial inquiry" by the UN into the violations and to ensure there was "full reparation" to victims.

It said those responsible for civilian suffering were "escaping all accountability".

Ms Khan said: "Justice is urgently needed if respect for the rules of war is ever to be taken seriously."

'Collateral damage'

Amnesty's report on 23 August said Israel had targeted homes, bridges, roads and water and fuel plants as an "integral part" of its strategy.

It said Israeli claims of "collateral damage" were "simply not credible".

Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev said Israel's actions during the war were "in accordance with recognised norms of behaviour during conflicts and with relevant international law".

About 1,000 Lebanese, mainly civilians, died in the fighting, while 161 Israelis, mainly soldiers, were killed.

Israel launched its offensive after Hezbollah militants seized two of its soldiers and killed several others during a cross-border raid on 12 July.