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Initial Israeli Response to Amnesty Report on Demolitions
(Ministry of Foreign Affairs) - On Tuesday, Amnesty International released a report critical of Israel entitled "Evictions and Demolitions Must Stop." While there is no question that the Palestinian population is suffering from the ongoing conflict, that suffering is a direct result of Palestinian terrorism aimed at innocent Israelis, and the need for Israel to protect its citizens from these abhorrent attacks. Regrettably, Palestinian terrorists choose to carry out many of their terrorist activities from within Palestinian population centers. For nearly four years, Israelis have been the victims of a relentless and ongoing campaign by Palestinian terrorists to spread death and destruction, killing more than 1,000 Israelis and injuring more than 6,000. One Israeli counter-measure is the demolition of structures that pose a real security risk to Israeli forces. When terrorists fire from within civilian structures, military necessity dictates the demolition of these locations. Under international law, these structures are considered legitimate military targets. Israel refrains whenever possible from attacking terrorist targets from the air or with artillery in order to minimize collateral damage, a policy which entails risking the lives of Israeli soldiers. The death of 13 soldiers in ground operations in the Gaza Strip in early May 2004 is just one example of the heavy price Israel pays for its commitment to minimize Palestinian civilian casualties. Terrorist groups use civilian buildings in order to conceal openings of tunnels used to smuggle arms, explosives, and terrorists from Egypt into the Gaza Strip. Other buildings are used for the manufacturing and concealment of rockets, mortars, and explosive devices to be used against Israel. The demolition of these structures is often the only way to combat this threat.