Finding a way
THE UN report on last year’s Gaza war is another marker of the deadly, endless struggle between Israelis and Palestinians. It found “serious violations of international humanitarian law” that “may amount to war crimes” by both Israel and the Palestinian militants during a 50-day war that killed 2 251 Palestinians, including 1 462 civilians, and destroyed 18 000 homes in the Gaza Strip.
Both sides were faulted, but much of the criticism was placed on Israel. The report, by a commission of the UN Human Rights Council, concluded that “impunity prevails across the board” regarding the actions of Israeli forces in Gaza.
Among other statistics, it cited 15 cases that killed 216 people, including 115 children and 50 women, in which Israelis used precision-guided weapons, yet there is little or no information to explain why residential buildings were considered legitimate military targets. The Palestinian militants, including Hamas, were condemned for the “inherently indiscriminate nature” of rockets and mortars fired at Israeli civilians. The report said there were more than 6 000 Israeli airstrikes on Gaza and 4 881 rockets and 1 753 mortars shot by Palestinians toward Israel between July 7 and Aug 26.
The war was the latest in a destructive cycle that will undoubtedly be repeated if leaders on both sides do not hold violators of international law accountable for their conduct, as the report recommended, and, ultimately, find a way to live in peace.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel dismissed the report as “biased” and insisted: “Israel does not commit war crimes.”
Hamas, which calls for Israel’s destruction, welcomed the parts of the UN report that criticised Israel but ignored condemnation of its own actions.
The report is expected to serve as the basis for a fuller investigation by the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court. It is unrealistic to expect Hamas, which the US and other countries considered a terrorist group, to comply with international law or police itself. But Israel has a duty to adjust its military policies to avoid civilian casualties and hold those who failed to do so accountable.