Israel’s use of white phosphorus confirmed
20 January 2009, 01:11PM
Amnesty International delegates visiting the Gaza Strip found indisputable evidence of widespread use of white phosphorus in densely populated residential areas in Gaza City and in the north.
"Yesterday, we saw streets and alleyways littered with evidence of the use of white phosphorus, including still burning wedges and the remnants of the shells and canisters fired by the Israeli army," said Christopher Cobb-Smith, a weapons expert who is in Gaza as part of a four-person Amnesty International fact-finding team.
"White phosphorus is a weapon intended to provide a smokescreen for troop movements on the battlefield," said Cobb-Smith. "It is highly incendiary, air burst and its spread effect is such that it that should never be used on civilian areas".
"Such extensive use of this weapon in Gaza's densely populated residential neighbourhoods is inherently indiscriminate. Its repeated use in this manner, despite evidence of its indiscriminate effects and its toll on civilians, is a war crime," said Donatella Rovera, Amnesty’s researcher on Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
White phosphorus wedges are scattered all around residential buildings and many were still burning on Sunday, further endangering the residents and their property; streets and alleys are full of children playing, drawn to the detritus of war and often unaware of the danger.
"Artillery is an area weapon; not good for pinpoint targeting. The fact that these munitions, which are usually used as ground burst, were fired as air bursts increases the likely size of the danger area," said Chris Cobb-Smith.
Each 155mm artillery shell bursts deploying 116 wedges impregnated with white phosphorus which ignite on contact with oxygen and can scatter, depending on the height at which it is burst (and wind conditions), over an area at least the size of a football pitch. In addition to the indiscriminate effect of air-bursting such a weapon, firing such shells as artillery exacerbates the likelihood that civilians will be affected.
Amnesty International delegates found both burning white phosphorous wedges and their carrier shells (which delivered them) in and around houses and buildings. Some of these heavy steel 155mm shells have caused extensive damage to residential properties.
Among the places worst affected by the use of white phosphorus was the UNRWA compound in Gaza City, where Israeli forces fired three white phosphorus shells on 15 January. The white phosphorus landed next to some fuel trucks and caused a large fire which destroyed tons of humanitarian aid. Prior to this strike the compound had already been hit an hour earlier and the Israeli authorities had been informed by UNRWA officials and had given assurance that no further strikes would be launched on the compound.
In another incident on the same day a white phosphorus shell landed in the al-Quds hospital in Gaza City also causing a fire which forced hospital staff to evacuate the patients.
White phosphorus landing on skin can burn deep through muscle and into the bone, continuing to burn unless deprived of oxygen.
Background
Separate unilateral ceasefires announced by Israel and by Hamas with effect from 18 January were not respected by either side. Israeli forces remained stationed in several areas of the Gaza Strip and on the morning of 18 January missiles fired by Israeli forces killed 11-year-old Angham Rif’at al-Masri and injured her mother east of Beit Hanoun in the north of the Gaza Strip. At the same time Palestinian armed groups fired several rockets into towns and villages in southern Israel, lightly wounding three Israeli civilians.
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Comments
Comments are submitted by members of the public and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or positions of Amnesty International Australia. If you find a comment objectionable please contact us.
Naomi Cartledge
28 January 2009, 03:15PM
Those who are blaming Hamas should look at the facts. A country under occupation(Palestine) is allowed, under International Law to react to occupation, particularly as brutal as Israels’has been for 60 years. The people of Palestine have some rockets, kids throw stones, against the might of the Israeli govt’s army of thousands, and a variety of horrific weapons, including nuclear? Well over a thousand Palestinians have been killed already, and who knows how many have horrific injuries? The damage done to homes etc is enormous. The US provides $6 million dollars per day to Israel, to purchase/ manufacture weapons of hideous types. They also have nuclear weapons. There’s at least 65 outstanding UN Resolutions that Israel has refused to comply with? They are now the oppressors, every day, causing untold, unnecessary death and misery! The hypocrisy & double standards is sickening!
Valerie Anne Preston
28 January 2009, 02:55PM
Do these finger-pointing comments just give air to conflict albeit on a smaller scale. War is the amplified version - the notion of a kind of action to restore justice in the face of attack. Each side claims attack and injustice. The fight in these pages, like in the ME seems more to be the fight to be right. Is the price worth it? How else might this move forward?
GrahamW
27 January 2009, 12:03PM
“Israel’s use of white phosphorus confirmed ...indisputable evidence of widespread use of white phosphorus in densely populated residential areas in Gaza City and in the north….”
- focus focus people
- so consider the effect of the premeditated, deliberate use of such a weapon on innocent people- children, women, men.
Terry Spek
23 January 2009, 12:45PM
Unsubstanitated Steve???
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6554487.stm
The Israeli Army itself acknowledges that it has happend.
Maybe you should do more fact checking and less hysteria whipping Steve.
Terry Spek
23 January 2009, 12:02PM
But the accusation of Hamas doing it is unquestioned?
Would that just be assumed?
Point stands.
Steve Lieblich
23 January 2009, 11:54AM
Where is IDF alleged to be using human shields? ...more wild, unsubstantiated allegations ... enough already
Terry Spek
23 January 2009, 11:48AM
Anyway, the use of this weapon in a densely packed civilian zone like this is reprehensible.
It will invariably cause death and suffering to innocents like land mines and cluster munitions.
Terry Spek
23 January 2009, 11:38AM
And the article i linked is one of many examples of how Amnesty International have brought focus on the abuses of Hamas.
AI as recently as a week ago released a statement that BOTH IDF and Hamas are using human shields, and that this must cease.
I see no evidence that AI are politicaly motivated in these reports. All I see is them speaking out against current abuses as they are able to verify them.
Sandy
23 January 2009, 11:29AM
Terry,
I, of course, agree with you that there is NO evil that is acceptable. As I said, you have every right to criticise Israel. But do so fairly.
AI, and you, have given me the impression that you blame ONLY Israel for all the suffering we see. The “News” articles are ALL focussed on alleged Israeli violations, when the Hamas violations are FAR FAR more evident.
AI is blatanly agitating FOR Hamas and AGAINST Israel. For example Elize Steynberg of AI’s WA staff used AI facilities to promote anti-Israel rallies organised by Friends of Palestine.
In fact Hamas is to blame for this suffering. AI would be promoting human rights much more effectively if it focussed on stopping Hamas.
Terry Spek
23 January 2009, 11:12AM
That is where i disagree with you and agree with Amnesty on this. For me there is no “ratio of evil” that makes one evil acceptable over another.
That is called political bias, and it is what Amnesty and other human rights organisations atempt to avoid.
If a human rights abuse is commited then it is just plain wrong, and Amnesty international are right to highlight it so that preasure may be brought to bear to stop it. Just as they have for years by reporting on the crimes of many human rights abusers, including Hamas.
Sandy
23 January 2009, 11:06AM
Terry
What on earth do you want me to “accept”? I bear you no ill will. I accept that you mean well. But I sincerely believe you are misguided, and that it is AI that has misguided you. You have every right to citicise Israel. I have no doubt that we could find examples of criminal behaviour in Israel. But compared to Hamas, whose charter calls for the destruction of Israel and extermination of Jews; kills its own people for propaganda purposes; murders its political opponents; and oppresses women, gays and minorities ....well Israel is an angel.
Tha’s what I accept.
Terry Spek
23 January 2009, 10:55AM
Sandy, the article is old news, there are many articles from Amnesty dating back years documenting the human rights abuses of Hamas.
You are just blinded because you are incensed by the thought that the IDF could also be responsible for such crimes of humanity…
Denial is a natural stage in the grieving process… I hope the Isreali government are innocent of war crimes. I also hope that they thouroughly investigate these charges and transperantly comit to handing over any that may be involved to the Hauge should they prove to be true.
Maybe then you can progress through the other stages of anger, bargaining, depresion and finaly acceptance.
Sandy
23 January 2009, 10:38AM
Dear Terry
Why aren’t those pages here in the AI News, which we are all reading? WHY HAS AI BURIED THEM?
AI is getting protests, because it is WRONG. It’s supposed to be a non-political human rights organisation, yet its BLATANTLY anti-Israel. It accepts unquestioningly fictional accounts of the conflict from terroist sources and ignores reports from Israel.
See http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3660423,00.html where it is reported that:
A doctor working in Gaza’s Shifa Hospital claimed that Hamas has intentionally inflated the number of casualties ...
A Gazan resident of Tal al-Hawa reported, “Armed Hamas men sought out a good position for provoking the Israelis. There were mostly teenagers, aged 16 or 17, and armed. ...they fired at our houses so that they could blame Israel for war crimes.”
Terry Spek
23 January 2009, 08:45AM
Thats right Sandy, because the internet is so flooded with protest against AI by people like you for daring to report FACTS about the IDF’s inhumane tactics…
Hence articles like the one I linked which you wish to ignore, and probably didnt even read are burried on page 7 of a google search.
Sandy
22 January 2009, 11:16PM
Dear Terry
“Its not easy to find some of the many critisisms AI have leveled against Hamas ...”
I AGREE WITH YOU!!!
Terry Spek
22 January 2009, 04:20PM
Apologies for the messy post.
Here is the origional source media release.
http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/MDE21/006/2006
Terry Spek
22 January 2009, 04:04PM
Its not easy to find some of the many critisisms AI have leveled against Hamas in defence of the human rights of Israeli citizens. In part due to the extreme defensive reactionary response by Israeli supporters against any reports of abuses by the IDF… but here is a clasic example of what many of tehse politicaly motivated posters are chosing to ignore:
http://domino.un.org/UNISPAL.NSF/3d14c9e5cdaa296d85256cbf005aa3eb/56360d73bab50b0e8525710700766234!OpenDocument
Now, please take your politicaly motivated rhetoric elsewhere…
If however you are genuinely interested in human rights for ALL humanity, then show your support to Amnesty International.
James Fehon
22 January 2009, 12:00PM
Sandy, yes I have a heart, as I said I can’t accept the suffering occuring on either side of this conflict, both peoples deserve to be free of fear from the ongoing violence.
I won’t attack people with views other than my own, and it’s really not helpful of any cause. Questioning my humanity or the reliability or motives of an organisation working for the rights of all people is pointless and only creates more division.
Arguing over who’s suffered more is ridiculous, the losses are not acceptable regardless of which side of the border you live.
Amnesty check their facts and have strict requirements on their researchers - but if you’re wanting statistics please check yours: http://www.btselem.org/English/Statistics/Casualties.asp
Knowing the people and supporters of Amnesty Int’l in Sydney your accusation of heartlessness is absolutely unfounded.
Israel should not be indiscriminately using a weapon like this with such horrible effects. The is no justification for this use.
Sandy
22 January 2009, 09:23AM
Mike / James
Have you no heart?
Over 1,200 Israelis were killed by terrorist attacks since 2000.
Yet Amnesty has on-line counters and barcharts of the Palestinian casualties (quoting unreliable sources), while ignoring Israeli casualties. Only after palestinians suffer does Amnesty say “it’s time” for peace. When Jews are being slaughtered, turn away, ignore it…
And Mike / James, you swallow this heartlessness???
James Fehon
21 January 2009, 07:10PM
Steve I fail to see how the use of an incendary which will burn to your bone in a densely populated residential area is in any way an accepted norm of war, despite what the Israeli army may (and would) assert. Questioning the credibility of Amnesty’s independant observers on the ground does nothing more than to demonstrate your own biases.
If you look at the previous two statements it looks like the call to cease fighting is directed equally at both parties. In this case the primary concern being for those civilians exposed to indiscriminate misuse of a weapon. Are you excusing this because of your ideology?
I don’t believe suffering on either side can be excused, the right to be free from fear and violence is universal.
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