| The Daily Star |
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BEIRUT: The U.N. has heavily criticized Israel for killing Palestinian protesters in Lebanon in May, deeming that soldiers used excessive force in targeting unarmed individuals.
In his latest report on the implementation of the cessation of hostilities since 2006, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon accused Israel of reacting in a way that “was not commensurate to the threat” posed by the handful of demonstrators who approached the Blue Line on May 15.
“I call on the Israel [army] to refrain from responding with live fire in such situations, except where clearly required in immediate self-defense,” Ban wrote in the report, which is yet to be publicly released but a copy of which was obtained by The Daily Star.
“Notwithstanding every country’s inherent right of self-defense, there is a need for the Israeli [Army] always to apply appropriate operational measures, including crowd control measures, which are commensurate to the imminent threat toward their troops and civilians,” Ban added.
Israel killed seven Palestinians and injured more than 100 when a small group of demonstrators broke free from an organized march and rushed to the Blue Line during a Nakba commemoration event, an act that drew international condemnation.
Ban criticized Israel’s use of excessive force in directly targeting unarmed protesters with live ammunition. “Other than firing initial warning shots, the [Israeli army] did not use conventional crowd control methods or any other method than lethal weapons against the demonstrators,” the report said.
The document has reportedly prompted Israel to snub the U.N.’s Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Michael Williams. The Israeli daily Haaretz reported Wednesday that Israel’s Foreign Ministry had cancelled Williams’ upcoming trip to Jerusalem. Ministry officials were furious over the report, which Williams prepared on Ban’s behalf, and so refused to cooperate with its compilation, the paper wrote.
“Williams asked to hear Israel’s position on the events of Nakba Day, but he was told that there was no time to meet with him, and that Israel would relay its views directly to [Ban’s] office,” Haaretz said.
Williams was unavailable for comment Thursday.
The report concluded that the five-month absence of a government in Beirut exacerbated existing tension along the Blue Line – the boundary of Israeli military withdrawal from Lebanon – and not, as often reported, the border between two states still technically in a state of war with one another.
Ban asked for Israel not to target unarmed people with deadly force, but he also asked Lebanon to take steps to prevent similar incidents.
“I [also] call on the Lebanese authorities and the Lebanese [Army] to enforce law and order in the area and to prevent any incident on the Blue Line from Lebanese territory,” the report said.
Based on the findings of an investigation conducted by UNIFIL – the U.N.’s peacekeeping force in south Lebanon – the Lebanese Army was overwhelmed by the sheer number of protesters who marched south on May 15, and those who rushed to the Blue Line picked up anti-tank mines and hurled rocks and Molotov cocktails at Israeli positions.
Resolution 1701 was drafted in the wake of Israel and Hezbollah’s 2006 war, which killed more than 1,200 Lebanese, mainly civilians, and 160 Israelis, mainly soldiers. It stipulates that Lebanese sovereignty and the Blue Line be respected by both sides. Israel routinely flouts international law through regular flights over Lebanon by surveillance drones and fighter jets. Israel maintains Hezbollah has been stockpiling weapons in violation of successive U.N. resolutions.
In his latest report on the implementation of the cessation of hostilities since 2006, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon accused Israel of reacting in a way that “was not commensurate to the threat” posed by the handful of demonstrators who approached the Blue Line on May 15.
“I call on the Israel [army] to refrain from responding with live fire in such situations, except where clearly required in immediate self-defense,” Ban wrote in the report, which is yet to be publicly released but a copy of which was obtained by The Daily Star.
“Notwithstanding every country’s inherent right of self-defense, there is a need for the Israeli [Army] always to apply appropriate operational measures, including crowd control measures, which are commensurate to the imminent threat toward their troops and civilians,” Ban added.
Israel killed seven Palestinians and injured more than 100 when a small group of demonstrators broke free from an organized march and rushed to the Blue Line during a Nakba commemoration event, an act that drew international condemnation.
Ban criticized Israel’s use of excessive force in directly targeting unarmed protesters with live ammunition. “Other than firing initial warning shots, the [Israeli army] did not use conventional crowd control methods or any other method than lethal weapons against the demonstrators,” the report said.
The document has reportedly prompted Israel to snub the U.N.’s Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Michael Williams. The Israeli daily Haaretz reported Wednesday that Israel’s Foreign Ministry had cancelled Williams’ upcoming trip to Jerusalem. Ministry officials were furious over the report, which Williams prepared on Ban’s behalf, and so refused to cooperate with its compilation, the paper wrote.
“Williams asked to hear Israel’s position on the events of Nakba Day, but he was told that there was no time to meet with him, and that Israel would relay its views directly to [Ban’s] office,” Haaretz said.
Williams was unavailable for comment Thursday.
The report concluded that the five-month absence of a government in Beirut exacerbated existing tension along the Blue Line – the boundary of Israeli military withdrawal from Lebanon – and not, as often reported, the border between two states still technically in a state of war with one another.
Ban asked for Israel not to target unarmed people with deadly force, but he also asked Lebanon to take steps to prevent similar incidents.
“I [also] call on the Lebanese authorities and the Lebanese [Army] to enforce law and order in the area and to prevent any incident on the Blue Line from Lebanese territory,” the report said.
Based on the findings of an investigation conducted by UNIFIL – the U.N.’s peacekeeping force in south Lebanon – the Lebanese Army was overwhelmed by the sheer number of protesters who marched south on May 15, and those who rushed to the Blue Line picked up anti-tank mines and hurled rocks and Molotov cocktails at Israeli positions.
Resolution 1701 was drafted in the wake of Israel and Hezbollah’s 2006 war, which killed more than 1,200 Lebanese, mainly civilians, and 160 Israelis, mainly soldiers. It stipulates that Lebanese sovereignty and the Blue Line be respected by both sides. Israel routinely flouts international law through regular flights over Lebanon by surveillance drones and fighter jets. Israel maintains Hezbollah has been stockpiling weapons in violation of successive U.N. resolutions.
Read more: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Politics/2011/Jul-07/Damning-UN-report-condemns-Nakba-Day-border-killings.ashx#ixzz1RQCH3liE
(The Daily Star :: Lebanon News :: http://www.dailystar.com.lb)
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