TO: UN Human Rights Council
DATE: 10 August 2006
Once again the State of Israel haS launcheD a mass war against The Republic of Lebanon and its people. The Israel Army has been targeting the civilians (Lebanese and Palestinians residents), the civil infrastructure and vital functions such as hospitals, electricity stations and water supplies. The Israeli army has imposed total blockade against Lebanon (aerial, marine ad terrestrial), severing vital supplies (medicines, food etc.) through the disablement of ports, airports, roads, bridges etc. It has been attacking any moving vehicle, including ambulances, fleeing refugees, and humanitarian supplies trucks.
TO: UN Human Rights Council
DATE: 10 August 2006
Once again the State of Israel haS launcheD a mass war against The Republic of Lebanon and its people. The Israel Army has been targeting the civilians (Lebanese and Palestinians residents), the civil infrastructure and vital functions such as hospitals, electricity stations and water supplies. The Israeli army has imposed total blockade against Lebanon (aerial, marine ad terrestrial), severing vital supplies (medicines, food etc.) through the disablement of ports, airports, roads, bridges etc. It has been attacking any moving vehicle, including ambulances, fleeing refugees, and humanitarian supplies trucks.
All these acts are war crimes, for which Israeli state leaders should be prosecuted before an international tribunal.
The Israeli pretext for launching this war of annihilation is the capture of two Israeli soldiers by the Lebanese Islamic Resistance (LIR), the military arm of Hezbollah. The LIR has captured two Israeli solders to trade them for Lebanese captives in Israel, whom Israel should have release upon its withdrawal from Lebanon in May 2000, plus handing over Shaba` Farms and the maps of Israeli landmines, as part of ending hostilities between Israel and Lebanon.
Regardless of that, Israel is launching a total war against the sovereign country and people of Lebanon, contrary to international law, the UN charter, bilateral armistice agreement, UN Security Council resolution 1559, and many other norms. Israel is intentionally violating international conventions on the laws of war.
The Fourth Geneva Convention prohibits “collective penalties and likewise all measures of intimidation or of terrorism …” (Article 33). According to Article 147 of the Convention, “extensive destruction … not justified by military necessity and carried out unlawfully and wantonly,” hostage-taking and “torture or inhuman treatment” are grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions and constitute war crimes. All State parties to the Convention are required to search for and ensure the prosecution of perpetrators of grave breaches of the said Convention.
(This does not apply to Israel, since it has not ratified the Optional Protocol. The same goes for its principal supporter, USA.) International Humanitarian Law strictly prohibits attacks against civilians and civilian objects. The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) includes as war crimes: “Intentionally directing attacks against the civilian population as such or against individual civilians not taking direct part in hostilities”, and “Intentionally directing attacks against civilian objects” (Article 8 2 (b) (i) and (ii(.
The USA is partner and collaborator with Israel in this war, through military, financial and political support to Israel, even as the war goes on. The US has blocked UN Security Council action to stop the war, and practiced pressures against other members of the Council. These members along with UN General Secretary have also responsibility to uphold international legitimacy. (What do you mean here? Should you say: “uphold international legitimacy and integrity of the UN security system” ?)
We address all members of UN Security Council (but, is this petition addressing the SC or the HRC?) to shoulder its responsibility to stop the war immediately and curb Israel to end its siege and aggressions against Lebanon. The dispute between Israel and Lebanon should be solved according to international law and not under the blackmail of war.
We urge the international community to deplore the Israeli war and to furnish all kinds of support to Lebanon.
We appeal to all humanitarian agencies and organizations to rush personnel and aid to Lebanon.
We condemn the Israeli war of annihilation against the Lebanese people.
We salute the Lebanese people.
1. Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR)
2. Sisters Arab Forum for Human Rights–SAF (Yemen)
3. Social Democratic Forum–SDF –(Yemen)
4. Yemeni Youth Development Center–YYDC (Yemen)
5. Democracy and Social Support Organization from Iraq–DSS (Iraq)
6. Saudi Women Relief Initiative-Red Crescent Volunteers
7. The Islamic Informational Observatory (United Kingdom)
8. The Kurdish Institute for Elections (Iraq)
9. Or for Female and Child Knowledge (Iraq)
10. The Arabic Program for Human Rights Activists (Egypt)
11. The Southern Youth Organization (Iraq)
12. The Peace and Freedom Harmony Organization (Germany)
13. The Direction “Alliance of Private Arabic Societies” (Palestine)
14. The Arabic Organization for Defending the Freedom of Journalism and Expression (Palestine)
15. Youth Forum for Development and Creativity (Yemen)
17. The Yemeni Observatory for Human Rights
18. The Political Development Forum (Yemen)
19. The National Organization for Defending Democratic Rights and Freedom (Yemen)
20. Free Female Journalists (Yemen)
21. The Egyptian Children Rights Center
23. Ramallah Center for Human Rights Studies (Palestine)
24. The Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression
25. The Moroccan Cultural Center
26. Iraqi Center for Human Rights Activists
28. The Cultural and legal Center for Human Rights (Iraq)
29. Without Borders Women and Childhood Organization (Iraq)
30. The Iraqi Organization for Human Rights.
31. The Committees for the Defence of Democratic Freedom and Human Rights (Syria)
32. Sham Center for Democratic Studies and Human Rights (Syria)
33. The Committee for Political Prisoners Cases Prosecution (Syria)
34. The Iraqi Committee for Defending Journalists Rights
36. Bahrain Youth Center at al-Wifaq National Islamic Society
37- Bahrain Center for Human Rights
