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Even When Faced with Criminal Tactics, Israel Abided by the Laws of Armed Conflict

(National Post-Canada) Irit Kohn - As the former head of the International Department at the Israeli Justice Ministry for 10 years, I participated in many deliberations regarding the exercise of Israel's right to self-defense in accordance with international law. During its conflict with Hamas in 2014, Israel was forced - again - to engage an enemy who fought, literally, underground, within populated civilian areas. As the recent Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs report noted, Hamas "actively encouraged, and even coerced, civilians to remain in areas of hostilities in order to impede IDF attacks and shield military activities." These human shield practices by Hamas constitute war crimes, as do the 4,000 rockets launched by Hamas towards Israel's civilians. Israel, faced with such criminal tactics, continued to abide strictly by the laws of armed conflict. In fact, the IDF's efforts to mitigate civilian casualties went beyond the legal requirements, as attested to by two separate reports of high-ranking military experts from democratic countries around the globe. It is important to illuminate the disparity between the reality and what is often reported. The constant, biased treatment of Israel at the UN serves only to embolden Hamas and other terrorist groups to intensify their unlawful methods. The writer is president of the International Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists.
2015-06-26 00:00:00
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