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The Targeting of Soleimani and International Criticism

(Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs) Amb. Alan Baker - The targeted killing by the U.S. of Iranian terror chief Qasem Soleimani has generated considerable criticism. Strangely, much of the criticism appears to ignore the actual, immediate, and substantive dangers that Soleimani posed both to U.S. forces in the Middle East as well as to all those innocent civilians who have been and continue to be subjected to the reign of terror that Soleimani established and maintained throughout the region. The UN's Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary, or arbitrary executions at the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ms. Agnes Callamard, tweeted on Jan. 3: "The targeted killings of Qasem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis are most likely unlawful and violate international human rights law. Outside the context of active hostilities, the use of drones or other means for targeted killing is almost never likely to be legal." By suggesting that Soleimani was "outside the context of active hostilities" is to ignore the fact that at any given moment, Soleimani was heavily involved in the planning and execution of massive acts of terror. That was his function within the Iranian military and terror infrastructure. His every move was well within the context of "active hostilities." The writer, former legal adviser to Israel's Foreign Ministry and Israeli ambassador to Canada, is director of the international law program at the Jerusalem Center.
2020-01-09 00:00:00
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