The world has looked in horror at the carnage left after Israel’s attack on Gaza. The sheer scale of the massacre of more than 1400 people in less than a month has shocked and disgusted people from the UN and NGOs to individuals.“It is difficult to recall a comparable slaughter of civilians in so little time” said president of the French section of Medecins Sans Frontierres, Marie-Pierre Allie.
Amnesty International has described Israel’s extensive use of white phosphorus in residential areas as a war crime.
Eyewitness evidence provided by Irish human rights worker, Caoimhe Butterly, revealed the use of banned white phosphorus and Dime bombs.
“I was in the city of Beit Lahia and the Jabalia refugee camp not long after a United Nations school was hit. Two young brothers were killed and over 40 people were wounded.
“The boys were killed by tank shells fired into the school—but there was also white phosphorus dropped there. When we arrived there were still sponge-like particles on the ground. They remain ignited for hours after they’ve been dropped.”
She explained that Dime bombs “contain a type of explosive that fragments into tiny metal filaments. These get carried around in the bloodstream and shred your internal organs. The doctors pointed to patients who had been admitted in a stable condition—bat later died of these Dime wounds.”
Moves are underway to officially condemn Israel for war crimes against the Palestinians of Gaza.
Because Israel is not a signatory to the International Criminal Court, it lacks jurisdiction to try Israel. However, there is growing pressure for Israel to be held accountable and pay for its crimes.
According to Antony Loewenstein, author of My Israel Question, a former judge of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, Fouad Riad, will attempt to establish a “popular tribunal”.
Israel should never be allowed to attack Gaza again, but that would mean countries like Australia breaking with the US and condemning Israel’s racist illegal occupation of Palestine.
By Judy McVey
Worldwide outrage over Israeli war crimes in Gaza
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