(New York Times) Richard Kemp - The UN Human Rights Council report on last summer's conflict in Gaza sympathizes with the geographical challenges Hamas faced in launching rockets at Israeli civilians: "Gaza's small size and its population density make it particularly difficult for armed groups always to comply" with the requirement not to launch attacks from civilian areas. The report suggests more should have been done to minimize civilian casualties. Yet it offers no opinion about what additional measures Israel could have taken. No other country uses "roof-knocks," using harmless explosive devices as a final warning to evacuate targeted buildings, which were developed by Israel as part of a series of IDF warning procedures, including text messages, phone calls and leaflet drops, that are known to have saved many Palestinian lives. The report suggests that the IDF's use of air, tank and artillery fire in populated areas may constitute a war crime. Yet these same systems were used extensively by American and British forces in similar circumstances in Iraq and Afghanistan. They are often vital in saving the lives of our own soldiers, and their curtailment would jeopardize military effectiveness while handing an advantage to our enemies. The reason so many civilians died in Gaza last summer was not Israeli tactics or policy. It was Hamas' strategy. Hamas deliberately positioned its fighters and munitions in civilian areas, knowing that Israel would have no choice but to attack them and that civilian casualties would result. Hamas sought to cause large numbers of casualties among its own people in order to bring international condemnation and unbearable diplomatic pressure against Israel. Col. Richard Kemp (ret.) is former Commander of British Forces in Afghanistan.
2015-06-26 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive