EU and NIF-funded NGOs Lead Condemnations in Gaza Conflict
With updated information
Summary
- Following the pattern in previous conflicts, a number of NGOs immediately issued condemnations of Israel following the IDF response to increasing deadly rocket attacks from Gaza.
- Many of these statements reflect bias and double standards, which ignore or give little attention to Israeli human rights and casualties, and do not mention Hamas´ use of human shields.
- Oxfam charges that “Israeli leaders . . . commit massive and disproportionate violence against Gazan civilians in violation of international law,” and repeat the standard claim of “humanitarian catastrophe if Gaza is attacked.”
- Gisha and others exploit legal terminology, including terms such as “war crimes,” “collective punishment,” “indiscriminate attacks,” and parrot the PLO “legal” opinion of 2005, which claims that Israel still “occupies” Gaza, and is responsible for the welfare of the residents there.
- Many NGOs use the fighting in Gaza to repeat calls for boycotts and sanctions as part of the Durban strategy. Miftah and Ittijah make claims of an Israeli “massacre,” invoking the successful strategy used in 2002 in Jenin.
- Many NGOs including Amnesty, PHR-I and PCHR, make unsupported factual claims, particularly on Palestinian casualty numbers.
See also Gerald M. Steinberg, “Can Israel win the ´soft power´ war in Gaza?” Gerald Steinberg, Jerusalem Post, December 28, 2008
Introduction
Following Israel´s military response to Palestinian rocket attacks from Gaza, a number of human rights and humanitarian NGOs (some which receive EU and NIF funding) issued statements that completely distort the operation in order to condemn Israel. As shown in this report, which covers 52 NGOs, many denounce the air strikes as “disproportionate” and “indiscriminate” — claims which warp thebasics of international lawand ignoreHamas´report that over 180 of the approximately 200 people killed in the first wave on 27 December were not civilians. This demonization is characteristic of statements fromOxfam,Al Haq,Ittijah,PHR-I,PCHR,Miftah(an EU-funded NGO that invoked the Jenin strategy by charging Israel with committing a “massacre”)ICAHD, and the Alternative Information Center (AIC).
Other NGOs, includingAmnestyandB´Tselem, and to lesser degree, Oxfam, reflect at least a semblance of balance, by equating Palestinian attacks with Israel´s response, and calling for a cessation of “all violence.” But this comparison erases Hamas´ deliberate targeting of civilians and Israel´s careful use of intelligence andweaponsto avoid civilian casualties. As in past examples, NGO statements are generally based on unreliable, unverifiable “research,” and distorted claims from international law.
These reports are similar toNGO campaigns in the 2006 Lebanon war, which involved daily condemnations of “indiscriminate attacks” and “war crimes” and influenced the course of the war. The latest statements build on previous reports that amplified Hamas´ propaganda claims, including rhetoric of“collective punishment,” “humanitarian disaster” and Israelpreventing Fulbright studentsfrom leaving Gaza. Human Rights Watch(HRW), which was very active in condemning Israel in 2006 and previous violence, did not issue a statement in the first three days of the Gaza operation.
As noted below, many of these NGOs are funded byEuropean governments, theEuropean Commissionor theNew Israel Fund.
Common themes in the NGO statements include:
- False or unsupported factual claims, particularly on Palestinian casualty numbers. In the past, NGOs have been key conduits of disinformation by Israel´s enemies. For example, they promoted thefalse allegations of a “massacre”in Jenin in 2002; in the2006 Lebanon war, HRW played a central role in spreading the false claims of a Qana “massacre”; and in theAl Dura case.
- Military claims for which they have no expertise, and which go beyond their mandates, such as claims that Israeli targets were purely civilian (PHR-I andMAP) or did not have military value (Amnesty).
- Bias and double standards, which ignore or give little attention to Israeli human rights and casualties, and do not mention Hamas´ use of human shields,
- Exploitation of legal claims, including terms such as “war crimes,” “collective punishment,” “indiscriminate attacks.” NGOs also continue to assert the PLO “legal” opinion circulatedshortly prior to Israel’s disengagement, thatIsrael still occupies Gaza, and is responsible for the welfare of the residents there.
- Calls for boycotts and sanctions as part of the Durban strategy.
For further background information:
“Liberate the Palestinians from Hamas,” Bernard Henri-Levy,The New Republic, January 9, 2009
“On Proportionality,” Michael Walzer,The New Republic, January 8, 2009
“Amnesty International´s anti-Israel stance undermines human rights and international law,” Prof. Avi Bell, Jurist Hotline Blog, January 5, 2009
“International Law and the fighting in Gaza,” Justice Reid Weiner and Avi Bell, MESI, December 29, 2008
“Did Israel Use “Disproportionate Force” in Gaza?” Dore Gold, Jerusalem Viewpoints, Vol. 8, No. 16, December 28, 2008
“Proportional to what?” The Economist, December 28, 2008
“Israel Defends Citizens from Hamas,” The Israel Project, December 27, 2008
Table of Contents
- Adalah
- Adalah – NY
- Al Haq
- Al Mezan
- Alternative Information Centre (AIC)
- Amnesty International
- Arab Association for Human Rights (HRA)
- Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI)
- Badil
- B´tselem
- CARE
- Caritas
- Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR)
- The Centre for Conflict Resolution & Reconciliation (CCRR)
- Christian Aid
- Coalition of Women for Peace
- Defense for Children International – Palestine Section (DCI-PS)
- Diakonia
- EMHRN
- Gaza Community Mental Health Programme (GCMHP)
- Geneva Initiative (H.L. Education)
- Gisha
- Grassroots International
- HaMoked
- Human Rights Watch
- International Commission of Jurists (ICJ)
- International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)
- Israel Committee Against House Demolitions (ICAHD)
- Ittijah
- Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP)
- Medecins du Monde (MDM)
- Medecins Sans Frontiers (MSF)
- Mennonite Central Committee (MCC)
- Miftah
- Mossawa
- NIF
- NORWAC
- Oxfam
- Palestinian Center for Human Rights(PCHR)
- Palestinian Grassroots Anti-Apartheid Wall Coalition
- Palestinian NGO Network (PNGO)
- Pax Christi
- Physicians for Human Rights-Israel
- Public Committee Against Torture in Israel (PCATI)
- Sabeel
- Save the Children
- Trocaire
- UNICEF
- World Vision
- War on Want
- Zochrot
NGO Statements
JOINT NGO PRESS CONFERENCE, JANUARY 14, 2009
Nine human rights groups held a press conference on January 14, 2009 to release a statement to the Prime Minister. The groups were: Gisha, B’Tselem, PCATI, Bimkom, HaMoked, Amnesty – Israel Section, Adalah, Yesh Din, and PHR-I
Entitled, “A Clear and Present Danger, an Israeli call for urgent humanitarian action in Gaza,” the press release states:
- “The level of harm to the civilian population is unprecedented. According to the testimony of residents of the Gaza Strip and media reports, military forces are making wanton use of lethal force which has to date caused the deaths of hundreds of uninvolved civilians and destroyed infrastructure and property on an enormous scale. In addition, Israel is also hitting civilian objects, having defined them as “legitimate military targets” solely by virtue of their being “symbols of government.´”
- The NGOs make five demands, including “stop the disproportionate harm to civilians…”
- The statement makes no call on Hamas to stop its indiscriminate rocket attacks on Israeli civilians
- The statement makes no call for Hamas to allow the Red Cross access to Gilad Shalit – a cornerstone of international humanitarian law
- The statement ignores Hamas’ use of human shields
Media coverage of the event:
Article (Jerusalem Post): “Israeli groups: Probe IDF ´war crimes´,” January 15, 2009
Article (Ha’aretz): “Nine human rights groups unite to call for emergency relief for Gaza,” January 15, 2009
Article (Guardian, UK): “Israeli human rights groups speak out as death toll passes 1,000,” January 15, 2009
Article (The Independent, UK): “Groups call for war-crimes probe of Israeli military,” January 15, 2009
Article (Chicago Tribune): “Groups call for war-crimes probe of Israeli military,” January 15, 2009
Article (Relief Web): “Israeli Human Rights groups: Clear and present danger to the lives and well-being of tens of thousands of civilians,” January 15, 2009
Article (Taiwan News/AP): “Human rights groups say army endangers civilians,” January 15, 2009
Article (AIC): “Warning of a Clear and Present Danger to the Lives and Well-Being of Tens of Thousands of Civilians in the Gaza Strip,” January 15, 2009
1) Adalah
Donors includeNIF, EU, Swiss Foreign Ministry, Ford Foundation, Oxfam, EED Open Society Institute, Swedish Consulate in Israel, Christian Aid (Source: Israel´s Registrar of Non-Profit Organizations)
Letter to the Attorney General: “News about the illegal use of Israeli army with the residents of Gaza in order to fulfill its military goals,” January 18, 2009
Press release: “Human Rights Organizations demand the indictment of those responsible for the killing of dozens of civilians in two UN schools in Gaza,” January 13, 2009
Press release, Today at 16:30: Supreme Court to Hold Additional Hearing on Urgent Petition Filed by Adalah and Seven Other Human Rights Organizations against the Targeting of Medical Personnel in Gaza and Preventing Them from Assisting the Wounded, January 15, 2009
Signed by Adalah, ACRI, Bimkom, Gisha, HaMoked, PHR-I, PCATI, Rabbis for human rights and Yesh Din.
Press release, Human rights organizations demand the indictment of those responsible for the killing of dozens of civilians in two UN schools in Gaza, January 13, 2009
Signed by Adalah, Al-Haq and Al-Mezan.
Common blog of the Israeli human rights organizations concerning the war in Gaza. Other NGO contributors include ACRI, Amnesty-Israel, Bimkom, B’Tselem, Hamoked, Physicians for Human Rights-Israel, Public Committee Against Torture in Israel, Rabbis for Human Rights, and Yesh Din.
http://gazaheb.blogspot.com/ (Hebrew version)
http://gazaeng.blogspot.com/ (English Version)
Ynet article,Adalah activists are protesting in front of PM office against the military operation, January 6, 2009
Letter to PM, Defense minister and the legal adviser of the government,
Refrain from attacking civilian government institutions and civilians in Gaza, January 4, 2009
On behalf of: Adalah, ACRI, Bimkom, Gisha, HaMoked, PHR-I, PCATI, and in theHebrew versionalso Al-Mezan.
“The Israeli government´s position, which regards anyone or anything related to Hamas, whether members [of the movement] or buildings, as a legitimate target for attack, is in violation of international humanitarian law (IHL).”
.
“Even if civilian targets are used for illegal purposes, this does not allow the rules of customary humanitarian law to be ignored and violated. Moreover, the fact that a combatant is present among a civilian population does not change the civilian character of the population and does not strip it of the protection to which it is entitled”.
These statements completely misrepresent IHL. Under the Geneva Conventions, the presence of civilians does not render a military target immune.
News Update,Following Adalah´s Intervention, Actors Hanan Helou and Saleh Bakri Released from Detention for Participation in New Year´s Eve Demo in Haifa in Solidarity with Gaza., January 2, 2009
- “During the peaceful demonstration, without any warning, a group of police officers approached the actress, Hanan Helou, and tore up the placard she was carrying and beat her causing injuries all over her body; they also beat everyone present and anyone who asked them to stop. In addition, the police severely beat the actor, Saleh Bakri, and arrested him and his friend. Following the arrest, the police refused to provide medical assistance to the detainees, despite the injuries and nausea suffered by the actress Helou”.
News Update,Adalah to AG: Summoning Political Activists to GSS Investigation is an Attempt to Frighten Them from Participating in Demonstrations of Solidarity with Gaza, January 2, 2009
Adalah to AG and Prison Service: Prisoners from Gaza Incarcerated in Israel must be Allowed to Use Telephones to Check on their Family Members(letterin Hebrew) December 31, 2008
“Gross Human Rights Violations and War Crimes in the Gaza Strip – The UN Human Rights Council must urge the General Assembly to act under Resolution 377” December 30, 2008
- Signed by Al-Haq, Adalah, Arab Association for Human Rights, Al-Dammer, Al-Mezan, Badil, PCHR, Musawa, PNGO.
- “Representing the Palestinian human rights community, we write to you with an urgent request for intervention by the UN Human Rights Council to put an end to the war crimes and crimes against humanity being committed in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) as a result of the Israeli occupying forces´ ongoing attacks on the Gaza Strip. … Grave breaches of the Fourth Geneva Convention amounting to war crimes, have been committed, including, wilful killing and the extensive destruction of property not justified by military necessity and carried out unlawfully and wantonly. Furthermore, the continuing collective punishment of the Gaza strip has left medical services unable to deal with the increasing number of victims”.
- Calls for “collective measures against the Israeli Government”.
Poster: “Civilians are not cannon fodder. Not in Gaza. Not in Sderot” (Hebrew) – December 30, 2008
- “Since the beginning of the attack in Gaza, up to yesterday, 29.12, 16:00 there were counted, in Gaza: about 300 casualties (including: 20 children and 9 women) which were certainly verified in the hospitals, and about 700 wounded (including 130 children and 28 women), amongst over 100 are severely wounded. In Israel, 2 casualties and about 34 injured, amongst them 4 are severely to medium wounded, not including anxiety.”
- Signatories: Amnesty International – Israeli branch; Bimkom; Gisha; ACRI; PCATI; Hamoked; Yesh Din; Adalah; Rabbis for human rights; PHR-I.
Press release: “The Haifa Police has cancelled the arrest of the bus which was on its way to a demonstration in Haifa” (Hebrew) – December 30, 2008
- “The Haifa police has arrested at Monday, 29 of December 2008, an Arab bus driver and the passengers who were with him, which deported Haifa to Tel-Aviv in order to participate in a demonstration against the Israeli attack on Gaza. The police forces have arrived to the place where the demonstrators group have been assembled and requested the driver to drive to the police station. They claimed that the demonstration did not get an approval.”
Press release: “Adalah demands the release of Arab students arrested in a demonstration next to Tel-Aviv University and to open a criminal investigation against people who hurt them” (Hebrew) – December 30, 2008
- “In a letter which has been sent to the Tel-Aviv police chief, Adalah has demanded the release of 3 Arab students from Tel-Aviv University – Ahmad Ka´adan, Shadi Klib and Muhammad Jaljuli – who were arrested in a demonstration against the Israeli attack on Gaza.”
Press release: “Adalah represents students from the Beersheva University arrested in a demonstration against the attack on Gaza” (Hebrew) – December 30, 2008
- Announces Adalah´s launching of a 24 hour hotline “to report any acts of police aggression and/or arrests and detentions during demonstrations.”
2) Adalah-NY
(Not formally associated with Adalah)
Announcement,Stop the Massacre Boycott Israel, January 3, 2009
- NYC actions for Gaza continue, rally at Times Square. Slogans include:
- BOYCOTT OCCUPATION & MASS STARVATION
- STOP ISRAELI WAR CRIMES
- STOP THE GENOCIDE
- YES, WE CAN! STOP THE ETHNIC CLEANSING OF PALESTINE!
- ISRAEL = APARTHEID SOUTH AFRICA
Press release,New Yorkers March to Demand End of Massacres in Gaza and Boycott of Israel, December 29, 2008
- “Riham Barghouti from Adalah-NY explained, ´New Yorkers are out in the street because they´re angry that the US government is providing Israel with the planes as well as the hundreds of tons of bombs that Israel is dropping on 1.5 million impoverished Palestinians who are packed together in the world´s largest open-air prison. Silence in the face of such crimes is complicity. That´s why people worldwide are stepping up the non-violent campaign of boycott, divestment and sanctions to pressure Israel to halt its human rights violations. With our government here in the US refusing to act, it´s up to us as citizens to mobilize to hold Israel accountable.´”
3) Al Haq
Donors includeFord Foundation, Christian Aid, Open Society Institute, Irish Aid, Diakonia, Canadian Representative Office
Press release: “The position of the legal rights institute about the legal tools in the question of chargin the Israeli occupation leaders on war crimes,” (Arabic) January 18, 2009
Press release: “In the shadow of the continuance of the aggression on Gaza, IOF are continuing to target civilians and killing some more children and erasing some whole families,” (Arabic) January 17, 2009
Press release: “Impeding Medical relief in the Gaza Strip: Israel´s war crimes against the injured,” January 17, 2009
Press release: “A vicious reminder of occupation in the West Bank: Israeli soldiers kill Palestinian farmer in Hebron,” January 17, 2009
Press release: “Nowhere left to hide in the Gaza strip: Even hospitals and UN humanitarian facilities under Israeli attack,” January 16, 2009
Table, Type of violations
Oral intervention,Ninth Session of the UN Human Rights Council, January 10, 2009
In the name of: Al-Haq, Adalah, A-Dameer, Al-Mezan, Arab Association for Human Rights, Badil, Cairo Institute for human rights study and FIDH.
Press release,Joint Open Letter to the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention, January 9, 2009
Signed by Al-Haq, Adalah, A-Dameer, Al-Mezan, Arab Association for Human Rights, Musawa, PCHR, FIDH and PNGO (including others as well)
Brief,Legal Aspects of Israel´s Attacks on the Gaza Strip during “Operation Cast lead“, January 7, 2009
- “Israel’s wilful misinterpretation of international law . . . indicate[s] a reckless disregard for civilian life synonymous with intent.”
- “More than 80% of the 671 Palestinians already killed were civilians.” Al Haq’s figures contradict even UN sources and even Palestinian sources which place the civilian casualty rate around 25%.
- “Under international humanitarian law, representatives of the political wing of the de facto Hamas government who play no part in commanding or controlling the military wing of Hamas and who do not take direct part in hostilities are civilians and not a legitimate military target”.
Press release,The weapon does not discriminate when it is supplied by killing intention… IOF are continuing to act war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip, January 7, 2009 (In Arabic)
“Palestinian human rights community calls for international action” December 27, 2008 [Additional signatories:Al Mezan,Defence for Children International,PCHR,Musawa,RCHRS,PNGO]
- The number of deaths resulting from these attacks indicates a willful targeting of the civilian police forces in these locations and a clear violation of the prohibition against willful killings. Willful killings are a grave breach of the Fourth Geneva Convention under Article 147 and therefore, a War Crime.”
- Palestinian human rights organizations urge “the UN Security Council to … impos[e]… sanctions,” and EU institutions and member states to “…adop[t] immediate restrictive measures and sanctions, as well as cessation of all upgrade dialogue with Israel.”
4) Al Mezan
Donors includeNetherlands Representative Office (NRO), Norwegian Representative office(NORAD), PROJECT FUNDERS: Diakonia, Trocaire, Save the Children Sweden, The Ford Foundation
- Launched a webpage in Arabic: “The siege on Gaza strip”, the collective punishment and the slow death in the Gaza strip. This page includes the links to “daily news of the siege on the Gaza strip, press releases on the siege, Al-Mezan reports on the siege, International and legal reports on the siege, the weekly report on the siege, and short films.”
Press Release: “IOF Targets a 3rd UNRWA Shelter and Continues its massacres in the Gaza Strip – The Int´l Community Must End Slaughtering Civilians Immediately,” January 17, 2009
Press Release: “IOF Attacks 3rd UNRWA Shelter; Kills more Civilian Refugees, Including Children,” January 17, 2009
Press Release: “IOF Assassinate Minister Syam; Targets Civilian Homes and Murders Families,” January 16, 2009
Press Release: “IOF Targets Civilians at Homes; Shells Fleeing Families on Streets in Gaza City – Restricting Ambulance Teams Continues,” January 15, 2009
Press Release: “IOF Escalates Its Attacks on Gaza; Death Toll Rises to 979; of whom 13.9% Fighters,” January 14, 2009
- 4 total mentions of supposed phosphorous bombs
Press Release: “Humanitarian Crisis Deepens as IOF Escalates Its Aggression: Thousands of Gazans Isolated under Scarcity of Food, Power, Healthcare and Water,” January 13, 2009
Press release, European governments and citizens hold the key to imposing accountability on Israel, January 12, 2009
Press release, IOF continues targeting civilians in Gaza; Death toll rises to 876 and more civilians premises destroyed, January 12, 2009
Press Release: “IOF Operations in Gaza Continue; More Civilians Killed and Civilian Premises Destroyed,” January 11, 2009
Press release, Coastal Municipalities Water Utility: On Watersituation in the Gaza Strip, January 10 2009
Press Release: “IOF Continue to Raid Homes, Destroy Them on Their Residents; Death Toll in Gaza Rises to 830, Including at least 194 Children and 58 Women,” January 10, 2009
Press Release: “IOF Continue Targeting Civilians and Houses in Gaza: Death Toll Rises to 771; Including 189 Children and 58 Women,” January 9, 2009
Press Release: “ICRC: Gaza: ICRC demands urgent access to wounded as Israeli army fails to assist wounded Palestinians,” January 8, 2009
Press Release: “IOF Shelling of a UN Shelter in Gaza Kills 42 Civilians – Death Toll in the Gaza Strip Rises to 668; Including 123 Children and 44 Women,” January 7, 2009
- “The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) escalated its crimes on the 11th day of its military offensive against the Gaza Strip. IOF´s attacks have killed hundreds of civilians and wiped out entire families under unprecedented, disproportionate bombardment of civilians targets.”
- “Al Mezan Center for Human Rights strongly condemns the continuous, criminal Israeli aggression against civilians in the Gaza Strip.”
“IOF Attacks Cause More Civilian Casualties in Gaza; Shells Homes and an UNRWA Shelter – Death Toll Rises to 585, Including 101 Children and 37 Women,” January 6, 2009
- “The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) has further escalated its attacks against the Gaza Strip; massacring civilians.”
“10th Day of IOF Crimes in Gaza: Death Toll Rises 489; Including 89 Children and 30 Women; Humanitarian Conditions Continue to Deteriorate,” January 5, 2009
“On the tenth day of its aggression on the Gaza Strip, the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) has seriously escalated its military operations, targeting mostly civilian targets;”
Press release, (In Arabic)IOF is escalating it´s crimes and intensifying the targeting of civilians and the political targets and is targeting the medical departments. The number of casualties rises up to 412, among them 65 children and 21 women, January 4, 2009
“IOF Escalates its Crimes in Gaza: Ground Operation Commences Death Toll in Gaza Rises 415; Including 65 Children and 21 Women,” January 4, 2009
“At approximately 9:30pm yesterday, Israeli planes targeted a group of young men and children as they were protesting the invasion by burning tires, killing 12-year-old Ahmed Sameeh Al-Kafarneh and injuring 10 others.”
Press release,Israeli raids on Gaza continue for the 8th day, raising the death toll to 363, including 59 children and 18 women,January 3, 2009.
- “Israeli attacks on Gaza have continued for eighth day. The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) targeted more civilian targets.”
- “Al Mezan Center for Human Rights expresses its strongest possible condemnation of the Israeli military operation against Gaza, which has already caused unprecedented loss of civilian life and suffering for the 1.5 million people living in it. Al Mezan therefore reiterates its calls upon the international community to take effective action to bring to an end these operations without delay. Al Mezan calls:
- Civil societies around the world to exert pressure on their governments so that they act in conformity with the relevant human rights and humanitarian obligations as prescribed in relevant international law”.
- “Failure to take any action despite the enormous amount of information about the consequences of Israel´s conducts on human life and wellbeing in the Gaza Strip; including about the occurrence of grave breaches of IHL amounting to war crimes only encourages the aggravating of the situation”.
“Israeli Attacks on Gaza Continue for the 7th Day ; Number of Victims of Air Raid on Rayyan House Rises to 16; 11 Children – Death Toll in Gaza Rises to 353 People, Including 59 Children and 14 Women,” January 2, 2009
“Israel is showing despicable disregard to civilian life.”
Press release,Israeli attacks on Gaza continue for the 7th day; number of victims of air raids on Rayyan house rises to 16; 11 children – death toll in Gaza rises to 353 people, including 59 children and 14 women. January 2, 2009.
- “According to the monitoring of Al Mezan Center´s field workers, more civilians have been evacuating their homes all over the Gaza Strip, either because they were destroyed by IOF or out of fear of destruction.”
“Today, it [the IOF] targeted an ambulance and its medical crew with a missile, killing a doctor and an orderly and critically injuring its driver.”
“…the IOF has perpetrated grave breaches of the International Humanitarian Law (IHL), amounting to war crimes and crimes against humanity, in the course of its military actions in Gaza. The Center also asserts that the vast majority of IOF´s targets in Gaza are civilian targets that must not be deliberately targeted. This includes houses, mosques, police stations and at least one ambulance. Most of the casualties are not combatants and were not involved in any hostilities when they were targeted by IOF. This behavior reflects a blatant disregard of civilian life and of the international law that is supposed to protect it.”
“The Occupation forces have escalated their crimes and targeted an ambulance and medical departments: The number of the casualties has risen to 315, among them 41 children, 9 women, and 939 injured, among them 85 children” December 31, 2008 (Arabic)
- “… the IOF have perpetrated grave breaches of the International Humanitarian Law (IHL) amounting to war crimes and crimes against humanity in the course of its military actions in Gaza.
- “Al Mezan condemns the attempts by the IOF to portray targeting civilian objects as legitimate military targets,…”
- The Israeli disproportionate, indiscriminate attacks on Gaza must stop without any delay.
“Israeli Massacres in Gaza Continue: 284 Killed; Including 32 Children, and 755 Injured; Gaza´s Service Systems Paralyzed under Severe Lack of Medicine, Food and Power” December 29, 2008
- Al Mezan chronicle many specific attacks on homes and mosques and list some of the dead or injured by name and age (the ones listed are nearly all children).
- “Many of the IOF´s conducts qualify as war crimes and/or crimes against humanity. The Israeli aggression also represents a multiple violation of human rights standards.”
- “It has been observed that the IOF target civilian premises directly and wantonly, while showing blatant disregard to civilian life and property. Israel´s attempts to prescribe its recent actions as self-defence against Hamas and rocket launchers is distorted and misleading. When a state chooses to resort to the use of force, it is bound by rules that prevent it from the abuse of this force, for its actions must observe the basic principles of IHL and human rights, both of which absolutely prohibit the disproportionate use of force and place an obligation on it to distinguish between military and civilian targets. In pursuing political gains in Gaza, Israel must show respect for human rights.”
“In a Criminal Escalation, IOF Strikes on Gaza Kill and Injure over 900 People as the Siege Continues to Debilitate Health and Other Vital Services” December 28, 2008
- “Al Mezan´s initial monitoring indicates that at least 257 people have been killed in the IOF´s strikes in the last 24 hours. Of those, the vast majority are non-combatants and civilians; including 20 children, 9 women and 60 civilians. The majority of the rest of the casualties are members of the civilian police who were inside their stations or undertaking training.”
- “Al Mezan Center for Human Rights condemns the IOF´s criminal military escalation in the Gaza Strip, which indiscriminately harms civilians and civilian property, and blatantly breaches the rules of International Humanitarian Law (IHL), qualifying as war crimes. Al Mezan particularly condemns the IOF attacks against civilian objects in which children and uninvolved civilians have been killed and maimed; despite the high technological capabilities that the IOF employs in their surveillance of the Gaza Strip.”
- “A reaction to rocket attacks cannot justify the perpetration of grave breaches of IHL, i.e. war crimes and crimes against humanity.”
5) Alternative Information Centre (AIC)
Donors includeIrish Government, ICCO, Diakonia, Dan Church Aid, Christian Aid, Austrian Development Agency (Source: Israel´s Registrar of Non-Profit Organizations)
Article: “Barak and all Israeli Leaders—To the Hague,” Michael Warschawski, January 15, 2009
Article: “Emergency, Humanitarian Aid to Gaza Strip Counterproductive without Political Aid,” January 15, 2009
Article: “Israeli Attacks on Gaza: Before Words Will Not Help,” Marcello Weksler, January 15, 2009
Article (Michael Warschawski, AIC): “Rule of Thugs: Israeli Elections Committee Decision to Ban Balad (The National Democratic Assembly) and Ra’am Ta’al,” January 13, 2009
Article (Sergio Yahni, AIC): “Israelis and the Israeli War on Gaza,” January 13, 2009
Article: “Arab Higher Follow-Up Committee Mobilises Palestinian Citizens against Israeli Attacks,” January 11, 2009
By Isabel Nicholson (AIC)
Article: “Israel’s Colonial War against the Gaza Strip,” January 11, 2009
By Issam Aburaiya for AIC
Article: “Despite Call for Ceasefire Israel Prepares to Escalate the offensive on Gaza,” January 10, 2009
Article: “The Humanitarian Failure in Gaza,” January 9, 2009
Article: “Protesters Occupy Israeli Consulates in Toronto, Montreal,” January 8, 2009
Article: “Rami Almeghari: Hardships of Journalism from Gaza,” January 8, 2009
Article: “Israeli War Crimes, International Responsibility,” January 7, 2009
Ahmad Jaradat (AIC)
- “This is the first time that the Israeli government has so unabashedly endorsed the violence and cruelty of its military.”
Article: “Worldwide Grassroots Protests against Israeli Attacks on Gaza,” January 7, 2009
Article: “Quartet: Hamas is To Blame!,” January 7, 2009
“The US Lets Israel off the Hook—As Usual,” January 6, 2009
“War of the Tunnels—Economic Aspects of the Israeli Attack on Gaza,” January 5, 2009
“The Aggression towards Gaza and the Official European Discourse,” January 4, 2008
“Given the Palestinian blood flowing in the streets of the Gaza Strip as a result of the ongoing Israeli war of aggression, the vague, diplomatic language and meticulously selected terms being employed by European governments lose all their value, becoming mere justification and protection for Israel’s actions.”
The paradox that the European leaders, the masters of morality, face today is that it is they themselves who reduce the principles of democracy and human rights—for which so many have struggled these many years—by transforming them into tools for political gain. And by doing so, they are losing their ability to affect events.
“From Ghetto to Frontier: The Lebanonization of Gaza,” January 4, 2009
Corey Balsam (AIC)
“But now that Israel claims that Gaza is “no longer occupied,” a “foreign entity,” and a “hostile” or “enemy entity” there is little stopping Israel from treating Gaza as it has historically treated Lebanon—as a shooting range.”
“Now that Gazans too have become chickens and cats as opposed to real people, there is good reason to fear for the fate of the remaining 1.5 million people trapped in the open air prison that is Gaza.”
“Israeli Offensive in the Gaza Strip: Before the Next Stage,” January 1, 2009
Sergio Yahni (AIC)
“Israel can achieve a military victory over Hamas, but only through genocide. Up to certain extent, this is the meaning of the demands of the Israeli public as expressed in the Hebrew press.”
“The Predictable Trajectory of Israeli Public Opinion,” January 1, 2009
“Israel’s War against Gaza—A Preliminary Reading,” December 31, 2008
“International Intervention Now!,” December 31, 2008
Michael Warschawski, AIC
“The international community has given a green light to the state of Israel to massacre hundreds of Palestinian women, men and children in order to protect human rights from Islam in Gaza, as it is doing in Afghanistan and in Iraq.”
“Israel Holds Near Monopoly on Information from Gaza Strip, Declares Victory in ‘War of Public Relations´,” December 31, 2008
Connie Hackbarth, AIC
“The Israeli government has created for itself a near monopoly over information coming out of the Gaza Strip. Journalists have been prevented from entering the Gaza Strip already since early November, a move the Foreign Press Association (FPA) in Israel labels ‘an unprecedented restriction of press freedom.´”
“Israel Delegitimizes Palestinian Citizens’ Protests against Gaza Attacks,” December 30, 2008
“Gaza is burning! And it Was All Foreseeable,” December 30, 2008
Nahla Chahal, CCIPPP, for AIC
“If it is not genocide being carried out in Gaza, then what are we supposed to call it? Tzipi Livni, just one month ago while in Brussels, sought to justify the ´unfortunate´ siege of Gaza by the need to strangle Hamas.”
“In the face of such a crime, we must protest, shout aloud our indignation, condemn and boycott Israel. We must demand an international protection force for Palestine. We must demand the resignation of the Palestinian Authority, which has become a camouflage for the occupation. And we must punish Israel for committing these war crimes by demanding it be judged by an international tribunal.”
“Blaming the ‘Two Sides’: Worse than the Killers,” December 30, 2008
“Israeli Aggression toward Gaza as Compensation for Strategic Failures,” December 30, 2008
“Urge Turkey to Void Deals with Israeli Military Companies in Wake of Israeli Crimes in Gaza Strip,” December 29, 2008
“Arafat al-Khawaja: The First West Bank Palestinian to Die During Demonstrations in Bili’in and Nili’in in solidarity with the People of Gaza,” December 29, 2008
“Violence as Policy for Israel in the Gaza Strip” December 29, 2008
- “It is popular public resistance that can and should be employed to force governments to hold Israel accountable for the war crimes it is committing against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.”
“Demonstrations in Tel Aviv, East Jerusalem against Israeli Attacks on Gaza,” December 28, 2008
“Palestinian human rights community calls for international action,” December 28, 2008
[REPRINT OF AL HAQ/AL MEZAN/PCHR/PNGO statement from December 27]
“AIC Condemns Deadly Attacks on Gaza, Calls for Civil Society Mobilization, International Sanctions” December 27, 2008
- “The AIC calls on social movements throughout the world to mobilize against these Israeli war crimes and demands that the international community implement sanctions against Israel and indict Tzipi Livni, Ehud Barak and other Israeli political and military leadership for these blatant war crimes, committed as part of Israel´s election process.”
- “Israel is exploiting the last moments of the Bush administration to implement the deadly but ineffective neoconservative policies of utilizing military force to effect political change.”
6) Amnesty International
Press Release: “Shelling of UN compound must be investigated,” January 15, 2009
- “A building containing emergency humanitarian assistance was also set on fire, when the shells – apparently containing white phosphorus – struck the United Nations Relief and Work Agency (UNRWA) compound. UNRWA said that it had repeatedly asked the Israeli army not to fire in the vicinity of the compound.”
- “´The attack on UNRWA, apparently targeting a clearly identified humanitarian compound, underscores the need for an impartial and thorough investigation into a range of attacks in which civilians were killed or injured and civilian buildings and infrastructure was destroyed,´ said Malcolm Smart, Director of the Middle East and North Africa Programme.”
- “Amnesty International is particularly worried about Israel’s use of what seems to be white phosphorus, a substance that causes severe burns when it comes into contact with skin. Although not banned under international law, white phosphorus is an incendiary weapon which should never be used in densely-populated civilian areas due to its devastating effects.”
- “´International law unequivocally forbids attacks against personnel, installations, material, units or vehicles involved in a humanitarian assistance mission,´ said Malcolm Smart. ´Deliberate attacks on humanitarian assistance facilities or personnel may constitute a war crime.´”
Press Release: “Arms embargo vital as Gaza civilian toll mounts,” January 15, 2009
- “As the civilian casualty mounts amid continuing Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip, Amnesty International is calling for an immediate arms embargo to prevent more foreign weaponry and other military equipment being used to fuel the fighting.”
- “These two consignments were due to be shipped to Ashdod from Askatos in Greece, but they have now been cancelled, according to information provided to Amnesty International by the US Military Sealift Command.”
- “Tender documents show that these shipments contain white phosphorus, known for its potential to cause severe burns and an indiscriminate weapon when used as an airburst in densely-populated civilian areas as now alleged in Gaza.”
- “´The US government should not proceed with these or any other arms shipments to Israel, and the Greek and other governments should not allow their ports or other facilities to be used to ferry arms to Israel or the other parties to this conflict,´ said Malcolm Smart.”
- “Israeli forces continue to carry out unlawful attacks, including attacks which are disproportionate, and stand accused of using weapons such as white phosphorous which pose an unacceptable risk to civilians when deployed in densely-populated areas.”
- “Meanwhile, Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups persist in firing indiscriminate rockets into civilian areas in Israel.”
- “´Nothing less than an immediate, full arms embargo is now needed to help bring an end to the civilian suffering caused by this conflict, and the flagrantly abusive attacks mounted from each side,´ said Malcolm Smart.”
Interview with Donatella Rovera: “No entry – frustration at the Gaza border,” January 15, 2009
Video: “Video: The human rights implications of the Israel/Gaza conflict,” January 14, 2009
Press Release: “Growing calls for investigations and accountability in Gaza conflict,” January 14, 2009
- “Amnesty International has urged all parties to the Gaza conflict, as well as the international community, to ensure that a thorough, independent and impartial investigation is established without delay into abuses of international human rights and humanitarian law, and to ensure full accountability.”
Open Letter to UN Security Council: “Document – Open letter to the Security Council,” January 12, 2009
- “…Amnesty International calls on the Security Council to insist that Israel, Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups immediately cease all attacks on civilians and other serious violations of international human rights and humanitarian law.”
- “Unfortunately such violations are not addressed in the resolution although they continue to be a most conspicuous feature of the conflict. Evidence of war crimes in particular is mounting daily. Israeli forces continue to carry out attacks directed at civilians or civilian buildings in the Gaza Strip, or which are disproportionate, and Palestinian armed groups continue to carry out rocket attacks directed at Israeli population centres.”
- “There must be full accountability for such crimes. Amnesty International therefore calls on the Security Council to ensure that a full, independent and impartial enquiry will be held promptly into all alleged abuses of international human rights and humanitarian law by the parties to the conflict.”
Press Release and Public Statement on same topic:
Press Release: “Firm action urged to ensure accountability in Gaza conflict,” January 12, 2009
Public Statement: “Document – Amnesty International calls on Security Council to establish full accountability for crimes committed in Gaza conflict and for deployment of human rights monitors,” January 9, 2009
Oral Statement to UN Human Rights Council: “Document – Oral Statement to the UN Human Rights Council on the situation in Gaza,” January 12, 2009
- “Prima facie evidence of possible war crimes and crimes against humanity is emerging daily. This Council must not ignore it. It must use its authority to call for an urgent and thorough independent and impartial investigation. It must call for perpetrators of war crimes, crimes against humanity and other serious violations of international law to be held to account.”
- “A failure of this Council to act unanimously to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the related serious violations of human rights and international human rights will be a stain on this Council and on those delegations that have stood in the way of this Council acting as one.”
Article (Guardian, UK): “Demands grow for Gaza war crimes investigation,” January 13, 2009
- “Amnesty International says hitting residential streets with shells that send blast and shrapnel over a wide area constitutes ‘prima facie evidence of war crimes’”.
- “There has been reckless and disproportionate and in some cases indiscriminate use of force,” said Donatella Rovera, an Amnesty investigator in Israel. “There has been the use of weaponry that shouldn´t be used in densely populated areas because it´s known that it will cause civilian fatalities and casualties.
- “They have extremely sophisticated missiles that can be guided to a moving car and they choose to use other weapons or decide to drop a bomb on a house knowing that there were women and children inside. These are very, very clear breaches of international law.”
- “Rovera has also collected evidence that the Israeli army holds Palestinian families prisoner in their own homes as human shields. ‘It´s standard practice for Israeli soldiers to go into a house, lock up the family in a room on the ground floor and use the rest of the house as a military base, as a sniper´s position. That is the absolute textbook case of human shields.”
- “It has been practised by the Israeli army for many years and they are doing it again in Gaza now,´ she said.”
Live Chat with Donatella Rivera: “Ask Amnesty,” January 12, 2009
- “There is evidence that white phosphorous is being used by Israeli force in Gaza, posing an additional risk to the civilian population. We have not yet been able to confirm use of DIME.”
- “Israel, as the occupying power, has additional responsibilities for the welfare of the populations in Gaza, including an obligation to ensure provision of adequate food and medicine. Both sides are violating international law. Israel has been blocking the passage of emergency humanitarian assistance for Palestinians and has attacked medics and relief convoys. And Israeli forces have been carrying out indiscriminate and disproportionate attacks that have killed hundreds of unarmed civilians. “
Event (Taipei Times): “AI Taiwan protests Gaza attacks,” January 10, 2009 [Amnesty Taiwan]
Press Release: “Amnesty urges suspension of UK arms sales to Israel as evidence revealed that Israel military drones may use British-built engines,” January 9, 2009 [Amnesty UK]
- “Amnesty International today called on the UK government to suspend all military exports to Israel until there is no longer a substantial risk that such equipment will be used for serious violations of human rights.”
- “Amnesty is calling on the UK government to ensure that no military equipment, components or technology are licensed for export to countries where they may be used to commit human rights abuses”
Press Release: “Amnesty International Calls on Israel, Egypt to Allow Critically Ill and Wounded to Leave Gaza for Treatment,” January 9, 2009 [Amnesty USA]
- “The 1.5 million Palestinian civilians who are trapped in Gaza continue to both be targeted and suffer disproportionately in this conflict.”
Public Statement: “Amnesty International calls on Security Council to establish full accountability for crimes committed in Gaza conflict and for deployment of human rights monitors,” January 9, 2009
- “…Amnesty International also urged the Council to ensure that international human rights monitors are immediately despatched [sic.] to Gaza and southern Israel to investigate and report on continuing abuses by all parties to the conflict.”
- “Israeli forces continue to carry out attacks directed at civilians or civilian buildings in the Gaza Strip, or which are disproportionate. Palestinian armed groups continue to carry out rocket attacks directed at Israeli population centres. The toll of civilian casualties continues to rise alarmingly.”
- “However, the resolution failed to state that parties must stop violations of international humanitarian and human rights law. Nor does the resolution address the mounting evidence of war crimes and other serious abuses of international law, or provide for an investigation and for those responsible to be held to account.”
- “Amnesty International also urges all states to be ready to initiate criminal investigations and carry out prosecutions before their own courts if the evidence warrants it.”
Document: “Israel/Occupied Palestinian Territories: Health Professional Action: Health services in Gaza – a worsening situation,” January 8, 2009
- Several ambulances have been targeted by direct gunfire and medical personnel have been seriously injured or killed. According to Physicians for Human Rights – Israel, an attack by helicopter fire on medical personnel on 31 December 2008 left three people dead, including a doctor and medic…
Press Release: “Firmer European voice needed to unblock humanitarian crisis in the Middle East,” January 8, 2009
- “As EU Foreign Ministers meet in Prague, Amnesty International today urged them to spare no efforts to pressure Israel to end attacks which are directed at civilians or civilian buildings in the Gaza Strip or are disproportionate, and to allow much needed humanitarian access to the region.”
- “To show that it means business, the EU should put on hold discussions on the upgrade of relations with Israel and work on getting concrete commitments from Israel to end the humanitarian catastrophe,” he added.
Letter: “Open letter to Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad,” January 7, 2009
- “Leaflets dropped by Israeli aircraft over Gaza have warned residents to leave the area, although they are physically prevented from doing so, causing panic and confusion among the population.”
- “One Gaza resident: “We have nothing to do with Hamas, I’ve been detained and harassed by Hamas, but the Israeli bombardments are indiscriminate. No one is safe.”
- “Amnesty International strongly condemns the reckless rocket attacks by Palestinian armed groups but Amnesty International is particularly dismayed over the disproportionate response by the Israeli government and the failure of the international community to ameliorate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.”
Press Release: “Gaza: Military tactics of both sides endangering civilians, says Amnesty International,” January 7, 2009
- “Amnesty International said today that both Israeli soldiers and Palestinian fighters are endangering the lives of Palestinian civilians – including by using them as human shields.”
“It [the use of “human shields”] underlines too the urgent need for an independent investigation into alleged abuses, including possible war crimes, by both sides and for perpetrators to be held to account.”
“Amnesty International New Zealand is critical of what it says is the New Zealand Government´s reserved approach to the violence in Gaza,” January 7, 2009 [Amnesty New Zealand]
“Amnesty International calls for an immediate humanitarian truce in Gaza,” January 6, 2009
“It is abundantly clear that the parties to this conflict are failing to respect international humanitarian law, and that the civilian population of Gaza is paying a very heavy price.”
“Even with fighting continuing, Israel has clear obligations under international humanitarian law to allow humanitarian assistance for civilians and must do so immediately. Instead, Israel has been actively blocking essential medicine, food, fuel, and electricity in violation of its duties as the Occupying Power.”
Letter to President of Council of EU: “Humanitarian and Human Rights Crisis in Gaza,” January 6, 2009 [Amnesty – EU Office]
- “The unlawful rocket attacks by Palestinian armed groups against towns and villages in southern Israel must be unequivocally condemned and must cease. At the same time, Israel is carrying out vastly disproportionate attacks causing numerous civilian casualties which must also be condemned as unlawful and must cease. Some of the Israeli attacks have been directed at civilian buildings not being used for military purposes such as the parliament building in Gaza city and or have targeted civilians such as police cadets.”
Press Release: “Protect civilians in Gaza and southern Israel,” January 6, 2009 [Amnesty Australia]
- While many Israeli attacks have targeted Palestinian combatants, other attacks have been disproportionate, recklessly endangering civilians and causing civilian casualties.”
“UN Security Council must not fail civilians caught in Gaza conflict,” January 5, 2009
“It is imperative that the Council urgently adopt a strong resolution condemning attacks against civilians by both Israel and Hamas and demanding that such attacks cease immediately.”
“While many Israeli attacks have targeted and killed Palestinian combatants, including leaders of Hamas, other attacks have been directed at civilian buildings not being used for military purposes. They have targeted civilians such as police cadets, or have been disproportionate, recklessly endangering civilians and causing a mounting toll of civilian casualties.”
Urgent Letter to Secretary Rice, January 2, 2009
…we urge the US government to spare no effort to pressure all sides in the conflict to immediately cease indiscriminate or disproportionate attacks which cause civilians fatalities and casualties.
But Amnesty International USA is particularly dismayed at the lopsided response by the US government to the recent violence and its lackadaisical efforts to ameliorate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza . . . the US government must not ignore Israel’s disproportionate response and the longstanding policies which have brought the Gaza Strip to the brink of humanitarian disaster.”
“Israel/OPT: Immediate access to humanitarian workers and observers essential,” December 31, 2008
“As attacks continue, Amnesty International called on the Israeli authorities, the Hamas de-facto administration and all other Palestinian armed groups to stop all unlawful attacks. They must not target civilians and buildings not being used for military purposes, whether through air or artillery strikes or home-made rockets, and must take all precautions necessary to protect civilians from the dangers caused by military operations.”
“The Israeli army must not carry out attacks which pose a disproportionate risk to civilians. They must always choose means and methods of attack that are least likely to harm civilians.”
*In the “Examples” section, the only deaths chronicled are of children.
“150 demonstrate in front of Israeli Embassy in Tokyo,” December 31, 2008 [Amnesty Japan]
At the protest organized by Amnesty International Japan and some other civic groups, the participants held up banners that read “Don’t kill children’” and ‘‘Don’t wage a war”.
“End unlawful attacks and meet Gaza´s emergency needs” December 29, 2008
- “Amnesty International reiterates its call for an end to reckless and unlawful Israeli attacks against densely populated residential areas…”
- “… Israeli forces have been sending seemingly random telephone messages to many inhabitants of Gaza telling them to leave their homes because of imminent air strikes against their houses… The threatening calls seem to aim to spread fear among the civilian population, as in most cases no air strikes were carried out against the buildings. If this is the purpose, rather than to give effective warning, this practice violates international law and must end immediately.”
- “The international community…must go beyond the rhetoric and exert concrete pressure on both parties to the conflict to end the abuses of international law they are committing.”
“Civilians must be protected in Gaza and Israel” 28 December 2008
- Palestinian rocket attacks and Israel´s response both termed “unlawful”
- Condemns killing of “police personnel who were not directly participating in the hostilities” and says “disproportionate use of force by Israel is unlawful.”
- Acknowledges that “Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups, for their part, share responsibility for the escalation”
- Quotes casualty claims without any source.
7) Arab Association for Human Rights (HRA)
Press release (via mail), “Israel is not above international law,” January 7, 2009
- “The International Criminal Court should fulfill its obligations and prosecute Israel and its leaders for their continued targeting of civilians”
“Stop the war crimes against the Palestinian people in Gaza,” December 29, 2008
- “This has come about by the indiscriminate bombing of civilian facilities, which constitutes a war crime and a clear violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention”
- “The statements of the Czech presidency of the European Union, which considered the military operations as ‘defensive’, constitute an acceptance, justification, international legitimization and encouragement of Israeli crimes against innocent civilians.”
- “The Arab Association for Human Rights, in light of the continuing Israeli war crimes against our people in Gaza, calls upon:
- The United Nations and particularly the UN Security Council to carry out its legal duties to stop the aggression and protect civilians. It also calls for the formation of an international judicial team to document the war crimes and bring the war criminals, both the politicians and the military, to international justice.”
8) Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI)
Donors include Ford Foundation, Diakonia, European Commission, NIF (Source: Israel´s Registrar of Non-Profit Organizations)
Advertisement in Haaretz: “Enough! 335 kids are dead in Gaza,” (Hebrew) NO DATE
Press release: “Background: Human Rights violations in Israel and Gaza,” January 15, 2009
Press release, Activities of ACRI following the shooting on the South and the fighting in Gaza (revised), January 8, 2009 [in Hebrew]
Press release,The civilians in Gaza has no possible choices of escape left; civilian population is not a legitimate target(in Hebrew), January 7, 2009
“The wide damage of civilians indicates the severe concern of the harsh violation of the laws of war by the IDF.”
News,ACRI is giving out lectures, workshops, house gatherings and information following the fire of the South and the fighting in Gaza, January 7, 2009 (In Hebrew)
Press release, January 6, 2009
ACRI responds to Crisis in Gaza and Israel´s South
Press release, January 6, 2009
8 human rights organizations file urgent petition against targeting the medical personnel in Gaza and preventing them from assisting the dead and wounded
Signed by: PHR-I, PCATI, Gisha, Bimkom, ACRI, HaMoked and Yesh Din.
- “The petition argued that since the beginning of the latest Israeli attack on the Gaza Strip there have been many incidents of the Israeli army opening fire and shelling medical personnel in the course of providing medical treatment and assistance to those injured and killed in the Israeli invasion.”
Press release,Hot line for human rights (In Hebrew),
January 5, 2009
- “Following the fire on the South and the fighting in Gaza, ACRI and Shatil in the South (founded by the NIF) are operating a hotline for applications in Hebrew, Arabic, and Russian”.
Press release, ACRI has applied to the Legal adviser of the government after receiving information about arresting and detaining demonstrators against the military operation in Gaza, sometimes with no legal or factual basis. ACRI emphasizes that the police or the Shabak are not allowed to limit the right of speech because of its contents.(Hebrew), January 1, 2009
- “Freedom of speech is a constitutional basic right and it has a special significance in a democratic regime, especially when dealing with expression which deals politics. The real trial of the freedom of speech is the possibility to issue opinions which are not consensus, even though they might be irritating many in the Israeli public. The police or the Shabak must not intervene or limit the freedom of speech, only because of the contents of the demonstration acts.
“The Association to Home Front command: fill in the missing instructions” (Hebrew) December 30, 2008
“ACRI: Striking civilian population in Gaza must stop” (Hebrew) December 29, 2008
- “ACRI is protesting the harsh striking of civilian population, as a cause of the aerial attack on Gaza, and demands to stop every war-like action which intends to strike civilian targets.”
- “Facing the reports of harsh strikes at Palestinian civilians which are not engaged in fighting, including women and children, the declarations which are made by the security system that ´civilian population is not the target´ are not enough. … The invalid attacks on civilian population in Israel can´t be a justification, legal or moral, to an indiscriminate strike of innocent Palestinian civilians.”
9) Badil
“A press release on the high national committee for defending the right of return – Palestine, The war on our people in Gaza – the continuance of the Arab Palestinian nations Naqba,” (Arabic) January 14, 2009
Press release, Gross human rights violations and war crimes in the occupied Gaza Strip (Joint statement with Adalah, Al-Haq, The Arab Association for Human Rights, and with the shared view of Addammeer and Al-Mezan).
- This statement makes no call on Hamas to stop its rocket fire on Israeli civilians.
- The statement claims Israel is engaging in “collective punishment” against Palestinians, yet calls for “collective measures” against Israel.
- “[G] rave breaches of international humanitarian law . . . that amount to war crimes have been committed by Israel in the occupied Gaza Strip. These breaches include wilful killing and the extensive destruction of houses and other civilian property not justified by military necessity and have been carried out unlawfully and wantonly.”
10) B´Tselem
B’Tselem has issued several highly emotive “testimonies” of Gazans purporting to document civilian suffering. The NGO has published no testimonies of Israelis suffering under Hamas’ rocket attacks.
Press release, “B´Tselem: stop the fighting immediately,” January 15, 2009
- “Since 27 December, Israel has waged a military campaign in the Gaza Strip with disastrous consequences for the civilian population. Some one and a half million are living in terror of the Israeli shelling. The humanitarian distress has reached dire proportions, which the limited measures taken by the military have failed to address. So far, over one thousand Palestinians have been killed, among them at least 300 children and ninety-five women; at least 4,800 Palestinians have been injured, more than 400 of them seriously. Tens of thousands have been forced to abandon their homes, without knowing if they will have a place to return to. The damage to civilian infrastructure is unprecedented, many of the injured are prevented access to medical treatment and the electricity, water, and sewage systems are barely functioning.”
- “The number of Israelis who are exposed to shelling has increased significantly. Some one million Israelis are now living under threat of rocket and missile fire from Gaza, and four persons were killed by missile fire at Israeli communities.”
- “Continuation of the fighting will bring more death and destruction. Innocent civilians, among them large numbers of children, will be killed and wounded.”
- “According to media reports, both sides have already agreed to the principle of a ceasefire. Under these circumstances, they must immediately stop the fighting.”
Testimony, “The Army shelled the house of the Hamuda family in Tel-Al-Hawa, killing two of the children of the family and severely injuring the mother,” January 09, January 12, 2009 [in Hebrew, by telephone]
- “They took my wife to the Trauma Unit, and later they transferred her to Intensive Care Unit, and they prepared her for surgery. Ihab had some light wounds, and they treated him and released him. We buried both of my sons in the same day. I don´t wish anybody to lose his children. They are so precious. The hours which passed us were so hard, and we saw some things which you can not describe. Whoever that will see our house after the shelling, will not believe that live people came out of it. We were saved only because of the mercy of god.”
Testimony, “The army has banished the residents of the Azbat Abed Rabu neighborhood which is east to Gaza City, January 2009,” January 11, 2009 [in Hebrew, by telephone]
- “At Sunday, 4.1.2009, 13:30, the Israeli army came to our area. Soldiers have made us to leave our houses. There were about 1000 people from the neighborhood in the street. Except for the families which had sick people, and the soldiers let them stay in their houses. They made us stand in a line. We were very scared. The children cry. In the skies, plains shelled close places.”
- “After about two hours, the soldiers told us to go and they led us towards the direction of Jabalia city. The group of the 40 men which the soldiers picked stayed behind. While we walked, the soldiers told us not to look to our side, and they threatened us with their weapons. They said that they will shoot whoever that will look back. We did what they said.”
Press release, Israeli Human rights Groups: Clear and present danger to the lives and well-being of tend of thousands of civilians, January 14, 2009
Signed by Adalah, Amnesty, Bimkom, B´Tselem, Gisha, HaMoked, PHR-I, PCATI and Yesh Din.
- “Since the beginning of the campaign in Gaza on December 27, a heavy suspicion has arisen of grave violations of international humanitarian law by military forces. After the end of the hostilities, the time will come for the investigation of this matter, and accountability will be demanded of those responsible for the violations. At this point we call your attention to the clear and present danger to the lives and well-being of tens of thousands of civilians.”
“The level of harm to the civilian population is unprecedented. According to the testimony of residents of the Gaza Strip and media reports, military forces are making wanton use of lethal force which has to date caused the deaths of hundreds of uninvolved civilians and destroyed infrastructure and property on an enormous scale. In addition, Israel is also hitting civilian objects, having defined them as ‘legitimate military targets’ solely by virtue of their being ´symbols of government.´”
Press release, Witness reports that Israeli soldiers shot woman waiving white flag in Gaza Strip, January 13, 2009
- “Although B´Tselem cannot, at present, independently verify or disprove the witness´s claims, it believes their severity merits immediate notification of the media”.
Testimony, Luay Subuch, got blind in a shelling in which one of his friends have been killed and another was wounded, Beit-Lahiya, 7.1.09, January 12, 2009 [in Hebrew, by telephone]
Press release, Israel is using phosphorus illegally in Gaza Strip bombings, January 12, 2009
- “Information received by B´Tselem and several media reports indicate that the army is using phosphorous in the Gaza Strip. This weapon serves primarily to create screening, enabling forces to advance on the ground without being exposed. In addition, however, the phosphorous burns everything in comes in contact with, causing severe burns to humans. It is also capable of setting buildings and fields on fire.”
- “The use of such a weapon in a densely populated civilian area like the Gaza Strip breaches these two principles, and violates Israel’s obligation to take every possible precaution to limit harm to civilians. B´Tselem demands that the army immediately cease using phosphorous in the Gaza Strip.”
Press release, Hitting the UNRWA school – firing indiscriminate weapon, January 11, 2009 [in Hebrew]
Testimony, The house of the Halima family went on fire due to hit by shells, and the family was burned to death, January 9 2009 [in Hebrew]
Press release,Army must allow evacuations of wounded and trapped civilians, January 8, 2009
Testimony, Ezneli family flees home after Israeli army announces it will bomb the area, Rafah, 7 January 2009, January 8, 2009 [by telephone]
Testimony, The Arafat family ran away from the shelling in Absan El-Jdeida, January 2009, January 7, 2009 [by telephone, in Hebrew]
Testimony,Soldiers Killed and Injured dozens of persons from a-Samuni family in a-Zeitun neighborhood, Gaza, Jan. ´09, January 7 [by telephone]
Testimony,Jihad Abu-Jabara, A crippled pensioner was killed with two of his sons, while his house was shelled in the refugee camp of El-Bureij, January ´09, January 7, 2009 [by telephone, in Hebrew]
Testimony,The army has shelled the house of the A-Daya family in Gaza City, 21 people of the family were killed, January ´09, January 7, 2009 [by telephone, in Hebrew]
B´Tselem: Evacuate wounded trapped in buildings shelled by Israeli army
Testimony,The al-A´aidi family, 8 are lightly injured, and are trapped in a shelled house in Jouchar a-Dik, January 09(by telephone, in Hebrew), January 7, 2009
“International law and Humanitarian law are not only for intellectuals and academics” January 6, 2009 (*Interview with Jessica Montell, Director of B’Tselem)
No testimonies of Israeli victims of Hamas rocket and mortar attacks.
Testimony,Salama and Majda abu-Hajaj, a mother and her daughter, were killed in a shelling in the center of the strip, January 2009(by telephone, in Hebrew), January, 6, 2009
Testimony,Three kids were killed in a shelling while they were playing with a dog in the street in Han-Yunes, January 09, (by telephone, in Hebrew) January 5, 2009
Testimony,Osama a-Nabahin and his family leave their house out of fear of Israeli attacks, 3 January 2009(by telephone), January 4, 2009
Testimony, Abu Dahruj family flee their shelled neighborhood in central Gaza Strp, 3 January 2009(by telephone), January 4, 2009
Testimony,The Asliya family is living in anxiety and shortage in the shadow of the siege and the bombing in the Strip, January 09, January 4, 2009 (In Hebrew, through telephone)
Testimony,Ambulance and medical staff fired at while evacuating wounded people,
January 4, 2009 (through telephone)
Testimony,Children witness their mother and another woman killed by fire from a tank, Gaza Strip, Jan´ 09, January 4, 2009
Testimony,Two of Jihad a-Nasleh´s children were killed in his home, bombed in Gaza City, January 4, 2009
Press Release,The Killing of Nizar Rayan and 13 people from his Family, January 4, 2009 (In Hebrew)
“[S]uch a wide-scale hit of civilians is a severe violation of international humanitarian law. In the given circumstances today in the Gaza Strip, it is hard to think of a clear military advantage which could be accomplished with shelling the house and the killing of Rayan . . .”
Testimony,Life in Gaza under siege and bombardment, January 1, 2009
Testimony, El-Abed A-Shafai was arrested for selling cigarettes in the street and was killed in the police station shelling, December 2008, December 31, 2008 [by telephone, in Hebrew]
Testimony through telephone,Three-year-old killed in Israeli bombing of building next to his home, Gaza City, Dec. ´08, December 31, 2008
Testimony,Five daughters of the Ba´alusha family were killed when the army has shelled a mosque which was next to their house, December 2008, 30/12/08,by Muhammad Sabach through telephone
Testimony,A young women and an 8 years old girl were killed in their house in a shelling of the Zaitun neighborhood in the city of Gaza, 30/12/08, by Haled Azaiyza.
Testimony,Haled El-Astel, 14 years old, was killed in a shelling in Han-Yunes, December ´08, December 30, 2008 [by telephone, in Hebrew]
Press release, December 31 2008
Suspicion: bombed truck carried oxygen tanks and not grad rockets
- “B’Tselem received the testimony of Ahmad Sanur, the owner of the truck bombed. Sanur claims the truck was carrying oxygen canisters used for welding, not Grad rockets. B´Tselem field worker took photos of oxygen canisters left on the site of the bombing. According to Sanur’s testimony, he and members of his family were trying to salvage material from a metal workshop he owns, which was next door to a bombed house, in order to prevent looting. He denies any connection to militants, or military activity, and is willing to talk to any journalist, or investigator”.
“B´Tselem to Mazuz: a concern that Israel is targeting its attacks on civilian objects” (Hebrew) December 31, 2008
- “The principle of differentiation, which stands at the base of humanitarian International law, states that the fighting sides must differentiate between civilian objects and military targets and they are not allowed to deliberately strike civilians and civilian objects. …
- “The claim that striking these kinds of objectives goes well with the instructions of the humanitarian international law has no basis. This interpretation, which regard these bodies as military targets, broadens the instructions of the humanitarian international law in a way which does not fit well with the instructions which were written above and it contradicts the principle of differentiation which stand in the base of the humanitarian international law. Deliberate harm of civilian targets is a war crime.”
“Protect civilians from the impact of hostilities” December 30, 2008
- “B´Tselem reiterates its demand that all parties to the hostilities prevent harm to civilians. The rules of war obligate all parties to a conflict to do their utmost to defend the civilian population. Deliberate targeting of civilians is expressly prohibited.”
Testimony,Three Children killed in bombing of their home, 28 Dec. 08´, December 29, 2008
• “Even though the armed men had left, I was afraid that the helicopters would return. I decided to take my whole family to a relative who lives a bit farther away”.
B´Tselem did not comment immediately after the Israeli operation began. They did release a relatively “balanced” statement on December 25, 2008, “Targeting civilians is forbidden,” which condemned “Rocket attacks against civilians [as] a war crime… Israel is obligated to defend its civilians, but it must do so in compliance with international humanitarian law.”
11) CARE
Article: “Gaza: Even the Helpers Are Helpless,” January 13, 2009
Press Release: “Rafah eyewitness: CARE aid worker bombed with his family,” January 9, 2009
12) Caritas
“Aid Groups Urge Look at Rights Violations in Gaza,” Zenit (Italy), January 9, 2009
“Caritas President Cardinal Rodriguez says Gaza ceasefire vital to get help to injured,” January 6, 2009
- “Caritas calls for action from the USA, the EU, and the international community on pressing for an immediate ceasefire to create the necessary environment in Gaza for aid agencies to be able to care for the wounded. War cannot be justified by either Israel or Hamas. Arguments over proportionality are morally repugnant when we are talking about the lives of innocent children.”
13) Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR)
Press Release: “CCR Condemns Israeli Massacre in Gaza and Calls for Just and Lasting Ceasefire”
14) The Centre for Conflict Resolution & Reconciliation – CCRR
Letter (Via mail), “Crimes,” by Director Dr. Noah Salameh, January 7, 2009
- “What is happening in Gaza now are crimes that history will never forgive us.”
15) Christian Aid (CA)
Almost 75% of CA funding comes from theBritish and Irish public,Irish Aid,UK Department for International Development (DFID)
Press Release: “Physicians for Human Rights demonstration halted,” January 16, 2009
- “PHR-Israel, a Christian Aid partner, has already sent four convoys of much-needed aid to the hospitals of the Gaza Strip.”
- “PHR-Israel called on its supporters to accompany the fifth delivery of emergency medical supplies to the transfer at Kerem Shalom crossing, and to hold a demonstration there.”
- “´We were turned back. It’s so frustrating because there were so many people who wanted to join the quiet and peaceful accompaniment of medical supplies to the border with Gaza and we were not allowed to do this,´ said Ms Weingarten.”
Article (BBC): “Gaza clinic destroyed in strike,” January 13, 2009
- The military told Christian Aid there were terrorist operations nearby.
- Moments later, the building – which the charity said was clearly marked with the insignia of the Red Cross and had ambulances parked outside – was struck by a missile fired by the aircraft.
Website posting: “Gaza clinic destroyed by Israeli jets,” January 12, 2009
Article (Sunday Mail, Scotland): “Israelis accused of gas strike on Gaza citizens,” January 11, 2009
- “Christian Aid said: ‘People have been exposed to gas. Doctors don´t know what it is – a kind of tear gas.’”
Article (Sunday Mail, Scotland): “Israelis accused of gas strike on Gaza citizens,” January 11, 2009
- “Christian Aid said: ‘People have been exposed to gas. Doctors don´t know what it is – a kind of tear gas.’”
Website Posting: “Gaza Crisis – support Christian Aid´s partners,” January 9, 2009
- “Our partners on the ground are doing what they can. However the overwhelming message from them is that it is almost impossible to work in the middle of the conflict – and civilians are paying the price.”
- Quoting Partners, Culture and Free Though Association: “The international community is not doing enough to ensure Israel stops its attack on civilians… Horrific is not a strong enough word to describe what we are experiencing.” PHR-I: “Donkeys and dogs in Israel have a better life than ours.”
Website Posting: “Take action on Gaza,” January 9, 2009
- “Call on Gordon Brown to push for the European Union to suspend its talks with Israel on upgrading relations until the UN Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire and full humanitarian access in Gaza is implemented to the full.”
- “Given the current situation – with Israel in breach of international humanitarian law in targeting civilians in Gaza – Christian Aid holds that these talks must be suspended.”
Website Posting: “Faith leaders speak out,”
- “Dr Muhammad Abdul Bari, secretary-general of The Muslim Council of Britain: “While this emergency aid will undoubtedly go a long way toward easing the pain and distress, the MCB reaffirms its call for a political solution that ensures an end to the siege of Gaza, a reopening of all border crossings and an end to Israel´s illegal occupation of Palestinian land.”
Website Posting: “Three hours ´not enough´,”
- “While today’s break in hostilities, the first following Israel’s announcement this morning, allowed our partners to reach out to people, nothing short of a full ceasefire and unfettered humanitarian access will be sufficient to save further lives.”
“Voices from Gaza,” January 2, 2009
*Testimonial from a pregnant woman:
“Reem says: ‘I feared I would lose my baby through shock when the bombing started. My nine-year-old, Sarah, has been vomiting again and again because she is so scared of the bombings.”
*3 out of 4 of the pictures in the “Gaza crisis: image gallery” are of children.
“Support Christian Aid partners in Gaza” December 29, 2008
- “For Christian Aid, the protection of all civilians is paramount and we welcome the calls for an immediate ceasefire from across the international community including the UK government.”
- “Our Israeli partner B´Tselem has repeated its demand that all parties to the hostilities prevent the harming of civilians.”
“Gaza death toll rises as humanitarian crisis deepens” December 29, 2008
- “Inside Gaza scores of civilians are among the casualties of the current Israeli bombardment. Israel has justified this latest round of intense violence on the continued firing of rockets into Israeli civilian areas from Gaza.”
- “Christian Aid unequivocally condemns these attacks. However, we are particularly concerned at the disproportionate response by Israel which claims to be aiming at specific targets and not at civilians.”
16) Coalition of Women for Peace
Article,Forget from creating the notion, Orly Noi – Ynet, January 6, 2009 [in Hebrew]
Article, NRG, Dorit Abramovich (In Hebrew),Who is taking care of the mothers?
- We . . . hope that the whole public will understand and oppose the war and invasion which talks security in a cynical manner, and intends only to raise the number of mandates of Barak or Livni”.
Article, Walla, Ayelet Maoz and Fadi Shabita (In Hebrew)
A war? An excuse for trampling the Arabs in Israel
- “In the last days, since the protest demonstration against the Israeli attack in Gaza has started, we are aware of the rising of the violent depression and the political harassment of Israeli Palestinian citizens. These acts are the actual violent fulfillment of impassioned statements of senior politicians, which talks in the last days about the “internal danger”, “the Hamas from within” and “fifth columns” and which prepare the ground for a political harassment”.
Website of the coalition against the siege and war in Gaza
Consists of Gush Shalom, Hadash, Yesh-Gvul, New Profile, Combatants for peace, AIC, Bat Shalom, ICAHD, ACHOTI, COW, Anarchists against the wall, Senior´s letter, Women in Black, Fifth mother, Campus is not silent, Maki, Tandi, Indymedia, Taayush, Sadake Reut.
Protest rally, Jaffa– Tuesday, 6.1.09, 18:00.
Women in Black vigils Columbus Ohio USA –January 9, 18:00.
Call for action, US campaign to end the Israeli occupation
Demonstration, San Francisco, USA, Friday 2/1/09
Demonstration, Orange country, USA Friday 2/1/09
Letter to Canadian PM Harper
Vigil, Montreal, Canada, Friday 2/1/09
Call for action by Canadian solidarity groups
Mobilization, Vancouver, Canada, Saturday 3/1/09
Demonstration, Montreal, Canada, Sunday 4/1/09
Demonstration, Paris, France, Saturday, 3/1/09
Protest vigil, Melbourne, Australia, Saturday 3/1/09
Demonstration, Sakhnin, Israel, Saturday 3/1/09
Demonstration, Tel Aviv, Saturday 3/1/09
Women in Black organized a protest against the siege in Gaza in Belgrade.
Press release,Women´s Organizations declaration against the war in Gaza, January 1, 2009.
Signed by: Ahoti, Aswat, Bat Shalom, COW, Isha L´Isha, Itach, Kol Ha-Isha, Tandi, Tmura and others. (Funding by NIF and the EU)
- “We women’s peace organizations from a broad spectrum of political views demand an end to the bombing and other tools of death, and call for the immediate start of deliberations to talk peace and not make war. The dance of death and destruction must come to an end. We demand that war no longer be an option, nor violence a strategy, nor killing an alternative. The society we want is one in which every individual can lead a life of security – personal, economic, and social”.
- “It is clear that the highest price is paid by women and others from the periphery – geographic, economic, ethnic, social, and cultural – who now, as always, are excluded from the public eye and dominant discourse”.
Op-ed, “Wars have Rating“, Orit Livnin Dgani (In Hebrew).
- “We like to call ourselves “A Peace liking nation”, but our security and social world rounds about wars and campaigns. That´s our language, and we not easily customized to the other way”.
- “If we are really a peace loving nation why are we ready to suffer, as long as the other side gets hurt as well? How is it that our consolation is that we hurt, we demolished, we killed? How is it that we manage to calm ourselves while saying that there is no other way, that this the only way to respond? If we do have the culture of no-war, why are we not demanding that the hurt of us, civilians, will stop not by fighting back but by a process of negotiations?”
- “I´m afraid that we tell ourselves that we are such a peace loving nation. The truth is that we really do like wars, that´s our language, that´s our culture, not only in the television. We do not know any other language and do not want to learn another language, and we will find all the explanations in the world to justify any war. Even this one, the spare one, in Gaza”.
Urgent activities, no date
- Women against the War – Demonstration in Haifa
A planning meeting will be held at 10:30, Haifa Womens’ Coalition, 118 Arlozorov st., Haifa.
TheArabic versionof this announcement adds that the meeting will discuss the “activity of women, and their role within the protest against the aggression.” TheHebrew versionclaims “Remove the siege – stop the massacre” (only in the homepage of the site and not in the article itself).
“We must stop this war!” December 28, 2008
- “Yesterday (Saturday), in just 4 hours we mobilized 1,500 people to march in the street of Tel Aviv. We reached the Ministry of Defense, where Ehud Olmert held a press-conference to justify this war. Our voices were heard loud and clear by the government, the public and the Israeli media. We all know that a ceasefire is a matter of time. BUT, each passing day will cost us people´s lives, with hundreds killed and injured. We must act urgently and effectively to bring about this ceasefire as soon as possible!”
17) Defense for Children International – Palestine Section (DCI-PS)
Donors include the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Luxembourg, UNICEF, UNODC, Terre des Hommes
Press Release: “DCI concerned by increase in arrests of West Bank children,” January 17, 2009
Press Release: “DCI writes to states that failed to support Gaza Resolution,” January 16, 2009
Article: “Israeli attack on Gaza is not self-defence, it´s a war crime,” January 14, 2009
Article: “Cast Lead: Wilful killing of 4-year-old al-Samouni boy,” January 14, 2009
Press Release: “Human Rights Council Special Session on Gaza offensive,” January 13, 2009
Press Release: “Cast Lead: 14 children killed in attack on UNRWA school,” January 8, 2009
“Cast Lead: DCI President writes to EU Foreign Ministers,” January 5, 2009
“Today, the President of the international movement and director of DCI-Palestine, Rifat Kassis, has written to all 27 European Union (EU) foreign ministers urging Europe to take decisive action in response to Israel’s ground offensive against Gaza and the unfolding humanitarian disaster in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT).”
“If Europe is truly serious about human rights now is the time for it to send a clear message that such aggression is not acceptable’ said Mr Kassis from Ramallah.”
DCI-Palestine recommends that concerned members of the public write to their elected representatives and demand:
* The immediate lifting of Israel’s siege of the Gaza Strip to allow the free flow of goods and services in and out of the territory.
* An immediate freeze if the EU-Israel upgrade process. Any future Action Plan for the upgrade must include clear and measureable human rights benchmarks for which Israel must be held accountable.
* The withdrawal of Israeli settlers from the West Bank and East Jerusalem in accordance with international law.”
“´This occupation and the illegal settlements are a huge source of tension and provocation that no other people could be expected to tolerate” said Mr Kassis. “Enough is enough. The international community must start enforcing international law and demand that Israel end its occupation and dismantle all of its settlements. Only then will there be peace based on justice and equality.´”
“Operation Cast Lead: Three boys killed whilst they sleep,” January 3, 2009
*Detailed account of three children killed in an attack
“- An immediate freeze of the EU-Israel upgrade process. Any future Action Plan for the upgrade must include clear and measurable human rights benchmarks for which Israel must be held accountable.
Urgent Appeal: “Gaza under attack – hundreds killed” December 30, 2008
- “Israel is currently in violation of a number of obligations it owes as Occupying Power, and obligations imposed on it under the laws of war, including prohibitions against:
Collective punishment: – Israel is not justified in collectively punishing 1.5 million Gazans for the actions of a few militants.
Targeting civilians: – Israel is not justified in conducting airstrikes in one of the most densely populated areas in the world, whereby high civilian casualties are not only foreseeable, but inevitable.
Disproportionate military response: – Israel is not justified in destroying every police and security office of Gaza’s elected government, and killing and injuring hundreds of civilians, in circumstances where the illegal firing of rockets from Gaza has killed 22 Israelis in the last eight years.
- “Recommended actions” address call for “an immediate end to Israel’s attacks on the Gaza Strip,” the “immediate provision of urgent humanitarian and medical assistance to the Gaza Strip” and the “lifting of Israel´s siege.” There is no demand for an end to rocket attacks on Israeli civilians.
“Gaza under attack: Over 300 killed and 1,400 injured” December 29, 2008
- “Although official Israeli spokespersons have repeatedly stated during the course of the last two days that the airstrikes are targeting Hamas infrastructure, current estimates are that many civilians have been killed and injured. Further, there is no suggestion that the policemen that were targeted are those responsible for firing rockets into Israel.”
- “Under well established principles of international law, Israel is not permitted to collectively punish the entire civilian population for the actions of a few militants. Further, it is a well established principle of international law that any military response must be proportionate. Since January 2008, around four Israeli civilians have been killed by rocket fire from Gaza, two of those deaths occurring after Israel launched its most recent attack on Saturday. It is not in question that the firing of rockets from Gaza into Israeli civilian areas is illegal. However, during the same period, approximately 700 Gazans have been killed in Israeli attacks, a ratio of 175:1.”
- No mention of Hamas´ use of children as human shields, or the Palestinian children killed by rockets misfired from civilian areas.
18) Diakonia
Donorsinclude:Swedish International Development Agency(SIDA),EU
Press Release: “Prime Minister Reinfeldt has to hand in a formal protest to the Israeli Ambassador,” January 15, 2009
“Stop the madness in Gaza!,” December 29, 2008
- “´There is no doubt that many civilian victims of the Israeli military action, hundreds of Palestinians, have been killed. At the same time, the blockade of Gaza continues, which only affects civilians in Gaza. In the end, it is the poorest and the civilians who suffer the most,´ said Christoffer Sjöholm, regional manager of Diakonia in the Middle East.”
- “The occupation, siege and blockade of Gaza has now proven to be counterproductive. It strengthens the relentlessness, affecting the civilian population and has mainly benefited extremist forces. Both parties must now assume their responsibility and put an end to the violence.”
19) EMHRN
*In “Recent News” section post Killing of Nizar Rayan with his wives and children breaches laws of war (B’Tselem), joint press release Gross Human Rights Violations and War Crimes in the Gaza Strip (Al Haq, Adalah, Al Mezan, Badil, PCHR, Mossawa, PNGO)
Statement to Mr Karel Schwarzenberg, President of the EU, Mr Javier Solana, High Representative for the CFSP Secretary-General of the Council of the EU, and Ms Benita Ferrero-Waldner, Commissioner for External Relations European Commission / DG RELEX: “EU must take strong measures to ensure Israel’s respect for international law,” January 9, 2009
Joint statement with FIDH: “Ensuring respect of international law to prepare for peace” December 29, 2008 [see no. 9]
20) Gaza Community Mental Health Programme (GCMHP)
Press release, “Torture journey or treatment,” (Arabic) January 17, 2009
“Growing outrage at the killing in Gaza [+ petition],” Guardian, January 16, 2009
“The Israeli shelling caused massive damage in GCMHP headquarters in Gaza,” December 30, 2008
- “At about 1:50 AM on Tuesday December 30, 2008, the Israeli F16 airplanes shelled a Palestinian police site in Gaza, which is 70 meters away from GCMHP´s main building in Sheikh Ejleen on Gaza beach. The shelling was part of the vicious military attacks that the Israeli army launched over Gaza since December 27, 2008.”
- “Gaza Community Mental Health Programme denounces this brutal action and the attacks that target everything in Gaza. We, call upon the international community to urgently intervene and make all their efforts to protect Palestinian civilians and institutions in Gaza, which are under real danger of death and destruction.”
21) Geneva Initiative (H.L. Education)
Donors include theEU
Article, Let the Hamas lose, no date [in Hebrew]
Press release,How to reach Gaza from Geneva(in Hebrew), no date.
- “The fear of the decision makers from repeating a similar failure as in the Second Lebanon War has caused that no clear targets were made for “Cast Lead” operation. This lack of defined goals is interrupting the leadership of the country and the public to determine if the operation is successful or not.”
- “Even though the Hamas did receive a major blow in this operation, the only way to make it significantly weak is to prove the Palestinian people that in the ways of negotiations you can reach much better achievements then in the ways of fighting.”
Article,The Future of Gaza, Rajeb Abu-Sria, Alayam, January 6, 2009 (In Hebrew)
Gadi Baltianski, “Israel Today”: To surprise Hamas with a cease fire No date (Hebrew)
- “We must remember that our goal does not culminate on the day of elections, and does not culminate in a proper response to the Qasams, and is not defined within the boundaries of the secured rooms. We must aspire to have our own country and not a bi-national country. We must aspire to have normal relations with our neighbors and to have normal life for our children. True, the way from Gaza to Geneva is not short, but we must make progress within it. As a first step we will look for every opportunity to cease fire. Later on, we will pass into a rapid political stage which will lead to an agreement, because this is the only way for real security. Only then we will prove that the children of our city are truly a priority”.
“Israeli and Palestinian GI headquarters call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza” December 30, 2008
- “In light of the developments in the Gaza Strip and in southern Israel in the past few days, Geneva Initiative´s headquarters in Ramallah and Tel Aviv jointly call for an immediate ceasefire between Israelis and Palestinians, so that the residents of the Gaza Strip and of the Israeli towns and cities surrounding Gaza can live normal lives.”
“A stick in Gaza, Carrots in the West Bank” (Hebrew) December 30, 2008
- “The “Cast Lead” operation will not prevent the launching capability from the Gaza Strip to Israel. The security authorities think that as well. Therefore Israel should arbitrarily decide in advance when to finish it and how to define it as successful.”
- “Israel is obliged to defend its citizens. There are times when the way to do this is using military force. But it must know the limits of power and not trying to use it to change the government of the Palestinians.”
22) Gisha
Donors include Irish Aid, EU, Norwegian Foreign Ministry, UK Government, Open Society Institute
News Release: “In Israel´s “Humanitarian Corridor,” No Water, No Electricity, Plenty of Sewage,” January 7, 2009
- “Israel, as the power exercising control on the ground and over Gaza´s crossings, owes a heightened duty to ensure the needs of the civilian population.”
- “For the last two months, Israel deliberately drained Gaza of fuel, crippling the ability to generate electricity and wreaking massive damage on the functioning of vital humanitarian institutions.”
- The groups petitioning the court: Gisha * Adalah * Association for Civil Rights in Israel * Bimkom * HaMoked * Physicians for Human Rights-Israel * The Public Committee Against Torture in Israel * Rabbis for Human Rights * Yesh Din
“Following prevention of fuel supplies, destruction of electricity lines:
Gaza Electricity, Water and Sewage Systems on Verge of Collapse,” January 4, 2008
Press release, 1.1.2009
Israeli Human rights groups to defense minister: Stop draining Gaza fuel and Electricity.
Signed by Adalah, ACRI, Bimkom, B´Tselem, Gisha, HaMoked, PHR-I, PCATI, Rabbis for human rights, Yesh Din.
- “The Israeli human rights groups issued an urgent appeal to Israel´s defense minister today demanding that Israel´s military stop draining Gaza of fuel and electricity – and restore fuel supplies to hospitals, water wells, and other vital humanitarian institutions”.
- “This shortage was well known to Israeli security officials, because Israeli security officials caused the shortage, deliberately, beginning October 28, 2007, and we repeatedly warned them of it. It was to be expected, then, that the military operation would exacerbate the shortage, to the point of substantial and immediate harm to the health, physical well-being and dignity of Gaza Strip residents. The military commander… must now supply what is missing, fully and immediately”.
“Israeli and Palestinian GI headquarters call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza” December 30, 2008
- “In light of the developments in the Gaza Strip and in southern Israel in the past few days, Geneva Initiative´s headquarters in Ramallah and Tel Aviv jointly call for an immediate ceasefire between Israelis and Palestinians, so that the residents of the Gaza Strip and of the Israeli towns and cities surrounding Gaza can live normal lives.”
“Open Gaza´s Crossings for Civilian Access” December 28, 2008
- This release stops short of calling the strikes deliberate or disproportionate, but nevertheless feeds the demonization of Israel´s response, describing the “death and destruction in the Gaza Strip.”
- “Hamas must stop rocket attacks aimed at civilian targets in Israel. Israel must refrain from attacks expected to cause deliberate or disproportionate harm to civilians in densely populated Gaza.”
- Gisha acknowledges that Hamas attacks deliberately target civilians, yet is a primary source for perpetuating the non-serious claim that Israel continues to occupy Gaza and continues to place full responsibility for the welfare of the Gazan population onto Israel.
23) Grassroots International
Press Release: “Please help – Our partners in Gaza are reaching out for support,” January 10, 2009
Press Release: “Demand Balanced Media Coverage of the Crisis in Gaza,” January 6, 2009
Article: “Catastrophe Worsens in Gaza,“ January 6, 2009
“Grassroots International Condemns the Bombing in Gaza,” December 30, 2008
- “Grassroots International condemns the disproportionate violence heaped upon the people of Gaza by the Israeli military. Grassroots International also condemns the rocket attacks by Hamas upon the people of Israel. Let it be clear, however, that the actions taken by the Israeli government far outweigh – both in size and in devastation – the damage caused by a faction of Hamas.”
- “The current bombardment of Gaza underscores a preference for collective punishment instead of creative engagement, and only serves to expand the cycle of violence in the region.”
- “Every country has the right to defend itself, and this includes Israel. However, that right does not justify indiscriminate and brutal attacks on civilians, causing vast human suffering.”
24) HaMoked
Donors in 2006 (Registry of Non-profits): Ford Foundation, Norwegian Embassy of Tel-Aviv, Department of Foreign Affairs – Switzerland, NIF, Trocaire, British Embassy, EU, Canadian Embassy, Misereor, Netherlands Representative office, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade – Government of Ireland, Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, SIDA, Embassy of Finland, Nehemiah Cohen foundation, SIVMO.
Press release, HaMoked and other human rights organizations turned to the PM, the Minister of Defense and the Attorney General: halt the use of illegal weapons prohibited by the international law, January 15, 2009
Testimony, M.A. was arrested by the army at 5.1.2009, transferred to Israel, and was released back to the Gaza Strip after about a week, January 15, 2009 [in Hebrew]
Press release, HaMoked has filed appeals to cancel the warrant which denies two detainees from Gaza to meet with a lawyer, January 13, 2009 [in Hebrew]
Press release, In a response to the petition of HaMoked to locate the Gaza detainees: The army said that he will transfer names of detainees to the department of prison, no more then 48 hours after the detainees are transferred to Israel, January 12, 2009 [in Hebrew]
Press release, Joint call of human rights organizations in Israel to the Israeli media: The media has an obligation not to hide from the public information which comes from foreign sources about the harsh damage to human rights in the Gaza Strip and to allow some room for criticizing views as well, January 12, 2009 [in Hebrew]
Signed by – ACRI, Bimkom, B´Tselem, Gisha, Yesh Din, PCATI, HaMoked and PHR-I.
Press release, “HaMoked sends humanitarian aid to a family in Saifa,” January 11, 2009
Press release, HaMoked and other human rights organizations in a call to the military head attorney: Israel is obligated to defend the rights of the detainees from Gaza, January 11, 2009 [in Hebrew]
Signed by ACRI and PCATI.
Press release, Human rights organizations in Israel in a petition to the Supreme Court: Immediate renewal of electricity and fuel flow which are required in the Gaza Strip to prevent an irreversible humanitarian disaster, January 11 2009 [in Hebrew]
Signed by Gisha, Bimkom, ACRI, PCATI, HaMoked, Yesh Din, Adalah, PHR-I and Rabbis for Human Rights.
Press release, “HaMoked has petitioned the Supreme Court for a writ of Habeas Corpus,” (Hebrew) January 9, 2009
Press release, Human rights organizations in Israel in a petition to the Supreme Court: Cease immediately the attacks on medical teams in the Gaza Strip and allow them to transfer the injured to the hospitals (Hebrew), January 8, 2009
Testimony from Gaza, The story of A.N., a Canadian resident of the Gaza Strip, in continuation of reports in the media about Israel´s approval of 400 foreign citizenship owners to leave Gaza (Hebrew), January 8, 2009
Blog entry, “3 Gazans who were arrested in the last days have been found and are imprisoned in Israel,” January 7, 2009
Blog entry, “The Prison Services have ceased family visits to prisoners,” January 7, 2009
Blog entry, “Is Israel holding prisoners from Gaza in a secret facility?” January 7, 2009
“Arresting residents of the Gaza Strip” (Letter to the IDF, Hebrew), January 5, 2009
25) Human Rights Watch (HRW)
Article: “Fresh evidence of Israeli phosphorus use in Gaza emerges,” Guardian (UK), January 17, 2009
- “He said the fires were caused by phosphorus bombs and missiles. Israeli artillery also fired white phosphorus shells at Gaza City, Marc Garlasco, senior military analyst at Human Rights Watch, said yesterday.”
- “Israel´s use of heavy artillery in residential areas of Gaza City violates the prohibition under the laws of war against indiscriminate attacks and should be stopped immediately, Human Rights Watch said yesterday.”
- “´Firing 155mm shells into the center of Gaza City, whatever the target, will likely cause horrific civilian casualties,´ Garlasco said.”
Press Release: “Israel: Stop Shelling Crowded Gaza City,” January 16, 2009
- “Israel´s use of heavy artillery in residential areas of Gaza City violates the prohibition under the laws of war against indiscriminate attacks and should be stopped immediately, Human Rights Watch said today.”
- “´Firing 155mm shells into the center of Gaza City, whatever the target, will likely cause horrific civilian casualties,´ said Marc Garlasco, senior military analyst at Human Rights Watch. ´By using this weapon in such circumstances, Israel is committing indiscriminate attacks in violation of the laws of war.´”
- “UNRWA believes that white phosphorus used in the attack set part of the compound on fire. Up to 700 city residents had fled there in the morning to seek refuge after intense fighting in the area. The Human Rights Watch researcher also witnessed ground-burst 155mm white phosphorus strikes in Gaza City.”
- “´Israel warned civilians to go to city centers and later shelled the center of Gaza City with a weapon that should never be used in densely populated areas,´ Garlasco said.”
- “Human Rights Watch is unable to conduct full investigations into alleged laws of war violations by either side because of Israel´s continuing denial of access to Gaza.”
- Statement makes 5 demands of Israel, 0 of Hamas.
Article (The National, UAE): “British parliamentarian says Israeli leaders are ´mass-murderers and war criminals´,” January 14, 2009
Article (Bernama.com, Malaysia): “Plea For Immediate End To Gaza Crisis,” January 13, 2009
HRW/Gisha
Article (The Star, Canada): “Israel, Hamas trade charges of rights abuse,” January 12, 2009
- “The Qassam and Grad rockets are clear violations,” said Fred Abrahams, senior field researcher for the U.S.-based humanitarian monitoring group Human Rights Watch. “That´s an open-and-shut case.”
- “The rockets are a war crime,” said Sari Bashi, a human-rights lawyer who lectures at Tel Aviv University.
- “´If Hamas is deliberately endangering civilians, then that would be a violation of international law,’ said Bashi. But she and Abrahams agreed Israel cannot use illegal behaviour by Hamas to justify violations of its own.”
Press Release: “Israel: End Gaza’s Humanitarian Crisis at Once ,” January 13, 2009
- “Israel and Egypt need to open their borders to allow a regular flow of food, medicine and fuel into Gaza, and to evacuate those needing urgent medical care,” said Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch. “A daily three-hour humanitarian ‘pause´ is woefully insufficient to help all the wounded and supply Gaza´s civilian population, which has already endured severe deprivation for the past 19 months.”
- “An international investigation would be an important way of demonstrating that the United Nations is deeply concerned about the fate of victims of this conflict. Because Israel has blocked the media and human rights groups from entering Gaza, only an international investigation stands a chance at this critical moment of uncovering key facts and reducing abuses.”
Report: “Deprived and Endangered: Humanitarian Crisis in the Gaza Strip,” January 13, 2009
- *27 pages; repeats the non-serious and unsupported claims of “collective punishment” and continuing “occupation.”
- “The Israeli government has repeatedly denied that a humanitarian crisis exists. Information from international humanitarian organizations, United Nations agencies and Gaza´s residents themselves starkly refute that claim. Hundreds of civilians have been killed in the fighting, a large percentage of them children.”
- “Humanitarian law provides that Israel as an occupying power must ensure the safety and well-being of the civilian population. The blockade is a form of collective punishment in violation of international law.”
- “Humanitarian law places obligations on states and non-state armed groups like Hamas to facilitate humanitarian assistance and the movement of humanitarian workers. Among other incidents in which Israel reportedly interfered unlawfully with aid or medical delivery, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reportedly blocked the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) from accessing badly wounded and dead civilians for several days. On January 8, the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), which 750,000 Gazans have long depended on for food aid, decided to suspend aid deliveries in Gaza after Israeli strikes killed two of its drivers.”
- “The New York Times reported that armed Hamas members have also interfered with the work of medical facilities, reportedly keeping an armed presence within some hospitals; and carrying out at least six executions of wounded persons at al-Shifa hospital, mostly of suspected “collaborators” whom Hamas had imprisoned in Gaza and who had been wounded in an Israeli airstrike on the main prison in Gaza.”
- “Israel´s continuing blockade of the Gaza Strip, a measure that is depriving its population of food, fuel, and basic services, constitutes a form of collective punishment in violation of article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention.”
- “A deliberate refusal to permit access to these supplies in response to military action can constitute collective punishment or an illegal reprisal against the civilian population.”
- *Recommendations to Israel: 11, Recommendations to Hamas: 3
- “To Israel [excerpt]: Cease all attacks on infrastructure essential for the survival of the civilian population, such as the water infrastructure, the electrical grid, the sewage system”
- To Hamas: Nothing about stopping illegal and deliberate rocket attacks on Israeli civilians; nothing about stopping illegal use of human shields.
Letter to UN Secretary General: “Letter to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon ,” January 12, 2009
- “In particular, we would urge you to:
- Urge that Israel take all feasible precautions to avoid indiscriminate or disproportionate attacks, cease attacks that assume that political entities are valid military targets, and not use white phosphorus “obscurants” in densely populated areas.
- Urge that Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups in Gaza cease firing rockets at population centers in Israel, and avoid to the extent feasible deploying forces or storing weapons in populated areas;
- “Make clear to Israel that any plan to raze homes in Rafah along the Philadelphi route in order to destroy tunnels violates two fundamental principles of international humanitarian law, distinction and proportionality. The destruction of another swath of houses will only make tunnels longer; it will not stop the tunneling.”
- “The blockade has had a disastrous impact on the health and well-being of the civilian population, depriving them of food, medicine, fuel, and other essential supplies, and constitutes the unlawful collective punishment of the civilian population.”
- “We welcome your calls for an investigation into alleged serious violations of international humanitarian law. However, the records of Israel and Hamas show little willingness to conduct impartial investigations of their own forces. We therefore believe an impartial international investigation is required to look at violations by both sides.”
News Release: “Israel: Stop Unlawful Use of White Phosphorus in Gaza,” January 10, 2009
- “Since the beginning of Israel’s ground offensive in Gaza on January 3, 2009, there have been numerous media reports about the possible use of white phosphorous by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). The IDF told both Human Rights Watch and news reporters that it is not using white phosphorus in Gaza. On January 7, an IDF spokesman told CNN, ´I can tell you with certainty that white phosphorus is absolutely not being used.´”
News Release: “Israel: Investigate Former Judge’s Killing in Gaza,” January 9, 2009
- “In a letter to Brig.-Gen. Avichai Mandelblit, IDF Military Advocate General, Human Rights Watch urged the military to investigate the attack, make the results of the investigation public, and prosecute any persons it finds to have acted in serious violation of international humanitarian law.”
- “It is especially important to carry out such an investigation in situations like this where there is no apparent justification for the attack, in order to minimize preventable or unjustifiable civilian casualties in the future.”
“Israel and Egypt: Allow Humanitarian Access to Gaza,” January 8, 2009
- “For Israel and Egypt to continue blocking the evacuation of severely wounded people is not only unlawful but heartless,” said Abrahams.
Event: “Press conference by humanitarian, human rights organizations on Gaza,” January 7, 2009
*Representatives from CARE, Oxfam, HRW, and World Vision were present
- “As the Security Council was preparing to resume its deliberations on the ongoing Gaza crisis, representatives of several humanitarian and human rights organizations called for immediate action to stop the fighting in Gaza and ensure respect for international law, full access to the population in need and lifting of the Israeli-imposed blockade this morning.”
- Mr. Bailey of OXFAM: “As if it were not enough that 1.5 million people were being collectively punished for something they simply could not control — Palestinian factions firing rockets at Israeli cities on the other side of the Gazan border — the current ‘onslaught’ had made the situation even more serious. However, the blockade and the weakening of the population had not achieved any of the stated aims of removing Hamas from control of Gaza or, indeed, impeding the rocket fire.”
- “Ms. Whitson of Human Rights Watch said that the closure of Gaza represented collective punishment, which was unlawful under international humanitarian law. Under international law, Gaza remained occupied territory, where the occupying forces, Israel, had the primary responsibility for providing food and medicine and securing the welfare of the population. Clearly, Israel was failing in its legal obligation. To that end, Egypt was complicit in the collective punishment of the Gaza population, enforcing the closure of the borders on its side.”
- “Israel had also made clear that all Hamas entities, affiliates and sympathizers were subject to attack, she continued. In that regard, it was important to note that only combatants who were actively engaged in fighting were legitimate subjects of attack. Thus, a Hamas official at the Ministry of Health was not a legitimate target, and neither was a Hamas media broadcasting station.”
- “Responding to a question, she said that Human Rights Watch was calling for respect for international humanitarian law. With regard to Hamas, that meant containing rocket attacks that were indiscriminate or targeted civilians. With regard to Israel, it meant cessation of indiscriminate attacks on civilian areas. Her organization also called for a Security Council-led international investigation into the violation of the rules of war, as well as recommendations for holding those responsible for such violations accountable.”
News Release: “Gaza: Israeli Attack on School Needs Full UN Investigation,” January 7, 2009
- The United Nations Security Council,…should establish a commission of inquiry to investigate alleged laws-of-war violations in Gaza . . . as well as other alleged abuses by Israel and Hamas.”
- “Human Rights Watch spoke by telephone with two men who said they had witnessed the attack. Neither of them said they saw Hamas militants in the area at the time.”
- “Stork: ´Palestinian fighters should stay away from those schools but even if some were in the area yesterday, we question the firing of multiple shells at an area where civilians are seeking refuge.´”
- “Where there is evidence that a war crime may have been committed, a state has an obligation to investigate and, if appropriate, prosecute the suspects. Non-state armed groups should take appropriate disciplinary and judicial measures against members of their forces who commit laws-of-war violations.”
- “To Human Rights Watch´s knowledge, Israel never conducted impartial and thorough investigations of those incidents [Qana and Jenin] or held any of its military personnel accountable.”
- “Hamas is not known to have investigated or punished any of its members who were behind the unlawful rocket attacks into Israel since 2005 or other violations of the laws of war.”
“Israelis deny using phosphorus,” January 6, 2009
Mark Garlasco, senior military analyst at Human Rights Watch, said it seemed from news films that Israel had used “artillery-delivered obscurants” which were not illegal.
ICAHD (Joint Statement with Deborah Maccoby, ICAHD, John Hilary, Director War on Want, Baroness Jenny Tonge, former trustee of Christian Aid)
“Bishops join call for UK to block EU privileges for Israel,” January 6, 2009
- “Despite the European Union´s call for a ceasefire, the brutal Israeli bombing of Gaza continues.”
- “[W]e call on: 1) The UK government to revoke its support for any new agreements with Israel (…) 2) The European parliament to refuse to endorse any extension of existing agreements . . .”
ICJ (Canada, Denmark, DanChurchAid, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Interchurch Organization for Development Co-operation (ICCO), the Ford Foundation)
Press Release: “Israeli Military operations in Gaza must stop; civilians must be protected,” January 7, 2009
- “Palestinian civilians continue to pay the heaviest toll in operations that appear replete with violations of international humanitarian law . . . Many attacks have been indiscriminate or disproportionate.”
“Israel: Allow Media and Rights Monitors Access to Gaza,” January 5, 2009
“Israel should immediately allow journalists and human rights monitors access to Gaza, Human Rights Watch said today. Their presence can discourage abuse by warring parties and help save lives.”
“Fred Abrahams, senior emergencies researcher for Human Rights Watch: “Israel´s excessive restrictions on access to Gaza only end up impeding this deterrent effect and placing civilians at greater risk.”
“International human rights law, applicable during armed conflict, upholds the right to freedom of expression of journalists and human rights monitors. States may restrict freedom of expression to protect national security, but only as permitted by law and as necessary for genuine and specific security reasons.”
“Israel: Gaza Ground Offensive Raises Laws of War Concerns,” January 3, 2009
“Joe Stork, deputy director of Human Rights Watch´s Middle East and North Africa division: ´The IDF and Hamas must take concrete steps to minimize the fighting´s impact of civilians or the results could be catastrophic.´”
“Human Rights Watch said that during past hostilities both sides have failed to take adequate steps to remove civilians from areas where there was fighting, putting them at unnecessary risk.”
Despite HRW´s lack of military expertise, 6 paragraphs discuss previous IDF operations including references to Jenin:
“The IDF used armored bulldozers to demolish residents´ homes to clear the way for armored vehicles, but in some cases the destruction extended well beyond any conceivable military objective.”
“To Hamas:
Cease all deliberate and indiscriminate rocket attacks against Israeli population centers. Do not use civilians as “human shields” by using them for the purpose of protecting combatants or other military objectives from attack, or to favor or impede military operations.”
Q&ASection added December 31, 2008
“As noted, Human Rights Watch considers the situation in Gaza to continue to be an occupation, despite the pullout of Israeli forces and settlers in 2005, because Israel still exercises control over Gaza´s airspace, sea space, and land borders, as well as its electricity, water, sewage, and telecommunications networks and population registry.”
This claim largely parrots a 2005 PLO “legal opinion.” NGO Monitor has sent repeated requests to HRW seeking the basis of its accusation that Israel controls Gaza’s population registry. HRW has refused to respond.
“Police stations are presumptively civilian objects. However, if a police station is being used for military purposes, such as a Hamas military headquarters or a place to store weapons for use in fighting, that station could be subject to lawful attack.”
“The rockets fired by Hamas – locally made Qassam rockets and some more advanced Russian-designed “Grad” rockets – are considered to be so inaccurate as to be incapable of being aimed in a manner to discriminate between military targets and civilian objects, at least when, as has been the case, they are targeting populated areas. Statements from Hamas officials indicate that they are directing their rockets at Israeli population centers. The use of such rockets against civilian areas violates the prohibition on deliberate and indiscriminate attacks.”
“Israel´s continuing blockade of the Gaza Strip, a measure that is depriving its population of food, fuel, and basic services, constitutes a form of collective punishment in violation of international humanitarian law.”
“Civilians Must Not Be Targets : Disregard for Civilians Underlies Current Escalation” December 30, 2008
- “Rocket attacks on Israeli towns by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups that do not discriminate between civilians and military targets violate the laws of war, while a rising number of the hundreds of Israeli bombings in Gaza since December 27, 2008, appear to be unlawful attacks causing civilian casualties. Additionally, Israel´s severe limitations on the movement of non-military goods and people into and out of Gaza, including fuel and medical supplies, constitutes collective punishment, also in violation of the laws of war.”
26) International Commission of Jurists (ICJ)
Donors include Canada, Denmark, DanChurchAid, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Interchurch Organization for Development Co-operation (ICCO), the Ford Foundation
Press Release: “Israel – 9th Special Session of the UN Human Rights Council: ICJ Intervention on Serious Violations of Human Rights Law and Grave Breaches of International Humanitarian Law during the Israeli Military Operations in Gaza,” January 13, 2009
Press Release: “Israeli Military operations in Gaza must stop; civilians must be protected,” January 7, 2009
- “Palestinian civilians continue to pay the heaviest toll in operations that appear replete with violations of international humanitarian law . . . Many attacks have been indiscriminate or disproportionate.”
27) International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)
Press Release: “Gaza: Mission Internationale de Haut Niveau,” (French) January 16, 2009
Letter: “FIDH urges the UN Security Council to refer the situation to the ICC Prosecutor,” January 13, 2009
Letter to the UN Security Council: “Re: Israel / OPT – Operation « Cast Lead » – Call for an International Interposition Force,” January 8, 2009
- “The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) conveys to you its horror about the extensive destruction and terrible loss of human lives resulting from the « Cast Lead » operation led by the Israeli Defense Forces in the Gaza Strip. It calls upon you to intervene at the Security Council without delay to put an end to the grave breaches of the international humanitarian law and large scale human rights violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT).”
- “FIDH condemns the rocket firing of Palestinian armed groups against Israeli civilian population. Yet and unfortunately, the reaction by the Government of Israel results in a flagrant and serious violation of international humanitarian law. The operations of the Israeli Army constitute at the least war crimes, if not crimes against humanity, according to international criminal law.”
“Aid agencies call for suspension of enhanced EU-Israel agreements,” January 7, 2009
“A coalition of major humanitarian, human rights and development organisations called on the European Union today to immediately suspend any further enhancement of its relations with Israel, known as an ´upgrade´, until it agrees to a comprehensive ceasefire and provides unimpeded humanitarian access.”
“This is not the time to be awarding benefits to a party to the conflict.”
“Ensuring respect of international law to prepare for peace” December 29, 2008 [joint statement with EMHRN]
- “These executions constitute a grave violation of international humanitarian law according to Article 3 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, and are considered, at the very least, war crimes according to Article 8 of the Rome Statute. Because they directly targeted the civilian Palestinian population, the measures and attacks carried on and at the origin of this humanitarian crisis, constitute a collective punishment in violation of Article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention.”
28) Israel Committee Against House Demolitions (ICAHD)
Donors include formerly EU/Partnership for Peace
Article: “Israel in Gaza: A Critical Reframing,” January 10, 2009
“Where´s the Academic Outrage Over the Bombing of a University in Gaza?,” January 4, 2009
“By launching an attack on Gaza, the Israeli government has once again chosen to adopt strategies of violence that are tragically akin to the ones deployed by Hamas — only the Israeli tactics are much more lethal.”
“Israel: end the attacks on Gaza immediately!” December 28, 2008
- ” How to end rocket attacks on Israel from a besieged and starving Gaza without ending the impetus for those attacks, 41 years of increasingly oppressive Israeli Occupation without a hint that a sovereign and viable Palestinian state will ever emerge.”
- “In Israel, however, the effort is to hide its preference for control over peace. Framing its attacks as a response to rockets from Gaza, exploiting an immediate trigger to effectively conceal deeper political intentions and policies, does that. It also conceals Israeli violations of the cease-fire.”
29) Ittijah
Donors include CORDAID, ICCO, Christian Aid, EuroMed, EU, Open Society Institute (Source: Israel´s Registrar of Non-Profit Organizations)
Press release, Position on bombing hospitals in Gaza 15-1-2009, January 16, 2009 ( Hebrew, via email)
- “The deliberate hitting of hospitals in Gaza: typical to a reign of terror.”
- “The claim of Ehud Barak, as if it is an accident is a wicked claim of a war criminal. He´s leading for three weeks a systematic and continuous massacre.”
Press release, a protest demonstration of the Arab public leadership, Thursday, 15/1/2009, 11:00 in front of Kishon (Jalama) prison, January 15, 2009 (via mail, in Hebrew)
Poster and press release, Cultural center for children: enough killing the children, January 13, 2009 [in Arabic]
Press release, Three demonstrations of physicians and lawyers, This Saturday in Nazareth and Um-ElFahem, and the Ba´ana junction, January 13, 2009 [in Arabic]
Organized by medical departments in the Nazareth hospitals, Arab physicians, Arab lawyers, Arab PHR, The Arab association of Human Rights, The Galilee Society, Mossawa, Ittijah, Adalah and Mubadara.
Press release, The people´s coalition of defending the Palestinian rights in Jerusalem: stop the crimes, and bring its committers to international courts, January 13, 2009 [in Arabic]
(Coalition members include Al-Haq, Miftah, Jerusalem Center of Democracy and Human Rights, Ta´awun)
Press release, civil associations and nets in the Arab world are demanding to immediately move to restrain the aggression, January 13 [in Arabic]
Article, order of the organizations of civil society to promote the Arab summit of economy and prosperity, January 13 [in Arabic]
News,A stirring committee of the Arab associations, joint efforts to stop the massacre and strengthening of the firm stand, January 9, 2009 [in Arabic]
Press release,Campaign for the national saving and helping our brothers in Gaza, January 9, 2009 [in Arabic]
Article,Shabak´s Investigation with Ameer Makhoul, January 9, 2009
Press release,The Galilee society has launched a campaign for health aid, January 9, 2009 [in Arabic]
Article,The way of monitoring the conveyers of war crimes on Gaza,Marwan Dalal[Former Senior attorney of Adalah, and a prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia], January 9, 2009 [in Arabic]
Press release, “A combined pamphlet of the freedom´s committee and the associations union about the Shabak investigation of Amir Mahoul” (in Arabic, via mail), January 8, 2009
Article, Israel:Boycott, Divest, Sanction, Naomi Klein for The Nation, January 7, 2009
Press release, “About the Israeli massacre in a school of UNRWA – act of destruction,” January 7, 2009 (In Hebrew via mail)
- “Today, 6-1-2009, the state of Israel has carried out a crime by means of the IDF which massacred Palestinian residents of Gaza”.
- “Another daily massacre by the IDF. The public committee of defending the freedoms has opened communications with some legal organizations from Gaza and the world which are supposed to bring the government of Israel and the heads of the army to be trialed in the war crimes court”.
- “The policy which the Israeli government is carrying out in Gaza is a policy of systematic war crime and acts of destruction”.
- “The Israeli society which supported this massacre should know that eventually it will carry the responsibility, especially on what which is carried out in Gaza which is an act of genocide, and turning Gaza, by the IDF, into an extermination camp in the full whole meaning of the word, and in the whole full historical relation of it”.
Letter to the Haifa university president, “Police and University attacks against the Arab students” (in Hebrew, via mail), January 6, 2009
- “The Haifa University, with its president, its management and its security will be charged with full responsibility on asking the police to come and on the behavior of the police, which was hostile and violent and even political. The Haifa University knew that inviting the police to the campus is a known script of hurting the Arab students. Again and again, The Haifa University is connecting itself with the police and the rightwing organizations against the Arab students.”
- “When the Israeli state is systematically conveying a policy of massacre and an act of genocide, do not expect that the Palestinian Arab students will stand aside and will not do anything . . .”
Press release (via mail in Arabic), January 5, 2009
Invitation to the Arab lawyers, a demonstration if front of the office of the PM
- “The occupation Israeli army is carrying war crimes in a continues way against the sons of the Palestinian nation in the Gaza Strip.
- The Israeli aggression is composed of rude violations of the international humanitarian law and the recognition”.
Press release, January 4, 2009 (via mail)
“Request from the EUROMED NGO platform – when the EU justifies Israeli acts of genocide”
“At the moment, from the perspective of the last days, we understand this step as a defensive, not offensive, action,” Czech EU presidency spokesman Jiri Potuznik said
The EU presidency by this declaration again decided to follow George Bush attitude and to launder and justify the Israeli acts of genocide and ongoing massacre.”
Press release (supplement to the invitation of the demonstration from yesterday)
January 4, 2009 (via mail in Hebrew)
Press Release,Every Shahid has a name(In Arabic), 3.1.09
Announcement, January 4, 2009 (Via Mail, In Arabic)
“The Haifa coalition of stopping the massacre and breaking the siege
Calling
The biggest demonstration and a parade in Haifa
We will stop the massacre and we will break the siege.”
Press release (In Arabic, via mail), December 30, 2008
- About the arrests and the statement of the Police chief
- The heads of the universities
- A warning about the psychological electronic war and the aggressions against the Arab site
December 28, 2008Arabic Statement[translated quotes below]
- “The massacre and the aggressiveness by Israel are ´war crimes,´ ´crimes against humanity´ and an ´act of genocide,´ ´Israeli Terror.´”
- “The Follow up Committee calls the international community to a boycott and sanctions against Israel.”
30) Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP)
DonorsincludeCanada, Switzerland, and the US.
“Worst Fighting Yet,” January 16, 2009
“Gaza Hospitals Under Attack,” January 16, 2009
Website posting: “Critical Condition,” January 14, 2009
Website posting: “No Sleep in Gaza City,” January 13, 2009
Web posting of daily events: “MAP: On the Ground in Gaza,” January 12, 2009
“MAP attends London Protest,” January 6, 2009 (video)
“Israeli airstrikes kill dozens of Gaza civilians” December 30, 2008
- “Israel, which has also allowed limited humanitarian supplies into the territory, is attacking Hamas-run organizations, homes of activists and security posts – all scattered in densely populated areas. Gazans say most strikes come without warning.”
- Includes quotes from locals such as:”When the bombings happened (on Sunday) it was like a giant grabbed my house and shook it. If they shell any closer, we´ll all die.”
“Aid workers killed, MAP offices damaged” December 29, 2008
- Situation update. No commentary
“Over 270 Killed and 900 wounded in attacks on Gaza” December 28, 2008
- Information on deaths and injuries and appeal for medical aid
- No commentary.
“Gaza: where civilians become targets” Article in the Guardian by MAP´s Head of Advocacy, December 28, 2008
- “After months of collective punishment and the denial of the most mundane and most essential, it is near impossible to treat the hundreds of injured streaming in to the emergency wards.”
- “Israel´s spokespersonsmay constantly repeatthat these attacks are ´targeted,´ but targeted attacks don´t kill this many civilians. They don´t destroy and cause chaos and panic in entirely residential areas. If we accept – by silence or without questioning – that anything and everyone can be defined as “terrorist infrastructure”, then we are designating all civilians in Gaza as being targets. And the targeting continues.”
“Airstrikes Hit Gaza” December 27, 2008
- “The impact of the blast shook us all, especially the children who cannot stop crying….Panic is in the air.”
- “Everyone is afraid, the situation reminds me of the start of the Iraqi war. Threats from Israel continue and further attacks are expected.”
31) Medecins du Monde (MDM)
Press Release: “Une équipe internationale de Médecins du Monde entre dans la bande de Gaza,” (French) January 17, 2009
Press Release: “Accès à la bande de Gaza : les équipes de Médecins du Monde sont bloquées aux entrées de la Bande de Gaza,” (French) January 9, 2009
Image of “The Gaza Strip: A Humanitarian Implosion” report on homepage.
32) Medecins Sans Frontiers(MSF)
Press Release: “Security issues complicate the situation in Gaza,” January 11, 2009
Press Release: “Temporary halt to Gaza bombing a paltry response as extreme violence victimizes civilians,” January 7, 2009
- “The military offensive has sown terror within a trapped urban population.”
- “[T]he [death] toll . . . is indicative of extreme violence indiscriminately affecting civilians.”
- “Franck Joncret, MSF´s head of mission. ´How can anyone believe that such a steamroller attack would spare civilians . . .´”
Audio Interview: “High Casualties in Gaza,” January 7, 2009
33) Mennonite Central Committee – (MCC)
Donorsinclude: Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
Letter: “MCC US sends letter to President Bush on Gaza situation,” January 9, 2009
Letter to Canadian Prime Minister from Donald G. Peters, Executive Director MCC Canada
- “We deplore these rocket attacks. They kill people, damage property, and exacerbate the fear and insecurity that many Israelis experience.”
- “That said, we believe that Israel’s response of heavy bombing, with more than 300 dead, more than 1000 injured, and thousands more traumatized, is drastic and devastating, and it compounds an already serious humanitarian crisis. Moreover, this response fails to acknowledge and take responsibility for the tremendous suffering that Israel has imposed on Palestinians through its eighteen-month siege on Gaza, and, perhaps more importantly, the occupation under which Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank have lived for more than forty years. It is this very suffering, we believe, which fuels the rage which leads to the rocket attacks and ongoing anger and unrest.”
Blog Entry: “MCC Palestine Update,” January 6, 2008
- “As followers of Jesus, we think that violence will never secure peace. This statement from an aspiring politician [Dr. Rabbi Michael Ben-Ari, National Unity list] reflects the grossness of the state of Israel´s misjudgment as to how to achieve peace. Yes, rockets have been fired at Israeli citizens. Will dropping more bombs change the situation?”
34) Miftah
Donorsincludethe EU, Ford Foundation
Article, “Fears raised over use of chemical weapons [January 11-January 17],” January 17, 2009
Article, “The deep Arab split is threatening the Palestinian issue,” (Arabic) January 17, 2009
Press release, “Miftah: The general assembly is denouncing … the Israeli aggression on the political case,” (Arabic) January 17, 2009
Article, “Israel has lost the legal war,” (Arabic) January 17, 2009
Article, Israel Gives War Crimes a New Face, January 14, 2009
Article, When pressed, just repeat yourself, January 12, 2009
Article, We are all Gaza?!, January 13, 2009 [in Arabic]
Article, The innovation of building Gaza [game of words – could be loading, as in a gun, of Gaza], January 13, 2009
Article,In Gaza, Nowhere is Safe [January 4 – January 10], January 10
Article,The 1860 decision: The success of the joint Arab efforts in the international arena, January 10, 2009 [in Arabic]
Op-ed,Summing up the lessons of the Israeli war on Gaza, January 10, 2009 [in Arabic]
Op-ed,The decision of the security council is an opportunity for a blank page between America and the Arabs, January 10, 2009 [in Arabic]
Article,Why do they hate the West so much, we will ask, January 8, 2009
- “So once again, Israel has opened the gates of hell to the Palestinians.”
Article,A message to the children of Gaza(in Arabic), January 8, 2009
Article,Gaza…between death of rockets and the peak of life(in Arabic), January 8, 2009
Article,Ascribing Morality to Israel´s War, January 7, 2009
- “. . . the Palestinian Authority considers taking Israel to court for war crimes . . .”
- “Hamas, along with other factions such as the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and Islamic Jihad, are all resisting that occupation.”
- “The entire history of Israel´s policies towards Palestine have been focused on collective punishment (also highly illegal under international law) of Palestinian civilians.”
Article,From the lessons of the aggression: no alliance for the Palestinian but with a Palestinian, January 6, 2009 (In Arabic)
Op-ed,Shalit´s bizarre predicment, January 5, 2009
- ” As Israeli bombs, missiles, artillery and sniper fire all rain down on the people of Gaza, taking whole families at a time, I can only imagine what is racing through Shalit´s and his family´s minds right now. My only hope is that the carnage Shalit´s own army is creating in the Gaza Strip will serve as one tiny silver lining, by generating some level of compassion in the minds of the captured soldier and his family for those dying around him.”
Article,Gaza offensive enters second week, January 3, 2009.
- “The atrocities in Gaza dominated the news this week, as Israel’s ‘Operation Cast Lead’ entered its eighth day on January 3. The Israeli assault, which began around noon on December 27, killed 292 Palestinians and injured more than 1,000 in just 24 hours. Many Palestinians now refer to the first 24 hours as the Black Saturday Massacre, the bloodiest one-day death toll in 60 years of conflict”.
- “Since the start of the Israeli bombardment, Palestinian armed factions have stepped up their projectile attacks into Israel, and it was reported that attacks are now being coordinated between factions. Hundreds of rockets have been fired so far, and four Israelis have died since December 28, while many have been treated for ‘shock’. Three Hamas-launched rockets managed to reach 40 kilometers inside Israeli territory, hitting the city of Beersheba on December 30 and 31”.
Op-ed by Miftah,The Israeli Elections at the account of the Palestinian Blood, January 3, 2009
Wide international efforts to cease fire in Gaza and Israel is refusing a European suggestion for a humanitarian Hudna” December 31, 2008 (Arabic)
“Israel does not want a Palestinian state” December 31, 2008 (Arabic)
“Gaza between the destruction of the missiles and the bombing of words” December 31, 2008 (Arabic)
“Civilians suffer as missiles fly in Gaza and Israel” December 31, 2008
- “´This is a war crime. The enemy´s leaders should face justice,´ said Balousha, badly bruised and leaning on two relatives as he limped through his daughters´ funeral procession.”
“In Gaza, the occupation is an unimaginable horror” December 31, 2008
- “It is highly unlikely that anyone could watch the scenes coming out of Gaza and not shudder at the sheer horror.”
- “Israel´s brutal handling of the situation has resulted in devastating results. Pounding a largely unarmed population still under its military rule with bombs, wreaking destruction and death in its malevolent path, are, in the words of UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory Richard Falk, “severe and massive violations of international humanitarian law as defined in the Geneva Conventions, both in regard to the obligations of an Occupying Power and in the requirements of the laws of war”.
“Why target Egypt?“December 30, 2008 (Arabic)
“Victims of Israel´s Latest Experiment” December 29, 2008
- “Alas, Israel knows it can get away with this latest massacre unscathed, just as it did in Lebanon in 2006. Israel has bombed UN refuges full of women and children (the Qana shelling, 1996) and killed UN observers with precision-guided weapons (Khiyam, Lebanon, 2006), yet still it goes about as a respected member of the world community. Surely no other country would ever be afforded such impunity”.
“Halt the Massacre” December 27, 2008
- “The airstrikes, which are still continuing at press time, have targeted all areas of the Strip and have claimed the lives of mostly civilians including women and children.”
- “MIFTAH, along with all Palestinians, calls for an immediate end to this offensive, which can only be categorized as a massacre. It also demands holding Israel accountable for its blatant shunning of international norms, decency and respect for human rights.”
- “The slaughter of Palestinian civilians in Gaza must stop”
35) Mossawa
Updates and events,Wednesday, 7.1.09(In Hebrew), January 7, 2009
- Headlines from the Israeli-Arab papers:
“E´elam Channel: Israel is using illegal weapons by the UN, and by testimonies of Nigerian physicians, some leftovers of Uranium have been found on the bodies and the areas which were hit by the Israeli attack.”
Press release,Institutions and Jewish and Arab lawyers calls for demonstration against the war crimes in Gaza(In Arabic), December 6, 2009
- Mossawa, Adalah, HRA, Ittijah, and others held a demonstration on January 6, 2009, in front of the PM office in Jerusalem to “raise the voice of the lawyers against the discriminate aggression on Gaza.”
- “The Occupation army continues war crimes against the Palestinian people in Gaza”.
- “The Brutal Attacks are rough violations of the norms and the international humanitarian law”.
Press release, 31.12.08
Stop War in Gaza: Civilian Killing is a War Crime
- “Under definitions of international humanitarian conventions and international human rights standards, Israel’s seismic and disproportionate response to the escalation of rocket fire coming from Gaza in the last week must be defined as a war crime . . . Collective punishment against a population of 1.5 is a fundamental breach of these conventions”.
- “Israel is to be held accountable for the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza as a result of failing to exploit the opportune six-month cease-fire with Hamas to improve standards of living for the population in Gaza by lifting the siege. This move would have been essential for achieving a sustainable peace, and Israel’s failure to do so has instead fertilized ground for extremist action that is counterproductive both for Israel’s own security and for any future peace process”.
- TheHebrew versionof the same statement adds that “This position of the Arab public, which is 1/5 of the Israeli population, is being cast aside from the Israeli media and it is not represented there as a legitimate part of the public views. From the other side, the racist inciting which is made by the rightwing against the Arab minority, receives a great attention in the media and even is being broadcasted routinely by some of the reporters”.
36) New Israel Fund (NIF)
Statement: “Crisis in Gaza,”
- “…the New Israel Fund joins many other pro-Israel organizations in calling for a rapid end to the current violence in a manner that addresses both Israeli security concerns and the growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.”
- “And, as an organization committed to promoting respect for human rights, we call upon all parties to abide by the principles of international humanitarian law. Finally, we insist that Israel abide by its own democratic values, and not attempt to silence the voices of protest and dissent, nor prevent media efforts to report on the events.”
- “It goes without saying that Israel has the right to protect its citizens against attack, but we are concerned about the growing number of civilian casualties, and the short and long-term consequences of the current conflict on the prospects for Palestinians and Israelis to live in peace.”
“Ending Civilian Suffering in Gaza and the Surrounding Israeli Cities,” December 30, 2008
“Members of the NIF family including Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI), Bimkom: Planners for Planning Rights, Yesh Din, Adalah: Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel and B’Tselem The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories have placed an ad in Haaretz with the headline: “Civilians are Not Cannon Fodder. Not in Gaza. Not in Sderot.” The ad lists the number of dead and wounded in Gaza and Israel.
*Quotes PHR
“Veteran NIF grantee B’Tselem said: ´In light of the recent escalation in violence around the Gaza Strip, and the firing of rockets towards Israeli communities, B´Tselem has repeated its demand that all parties to the hostilities prevent the harming of civilians. The rules of war obligate all parties to a conflict to do their utmost to defend the civilian population.´”
37) NORWAC
Donors include the Norwegian government
“The Reality In Gaza – Dr. Mads Gilbert of Norway Witnesses,” January 3, 2009
- “Dr. Mads Gilbert of Norwac, one of the doctors allowed into Gaza to give emergency medical aid, described conditions to the world inside Gaza as of December 31.”
- “[A]s a doctor, I find it an extremely cowardish [sic] way of fighting a war, sitting in an airplane, an F-16 above a prison with 1.5 million people who have no whatsoever chance of escaping. Gaza is a prison. This is a human-made disaster of great proportions and I really urge the international community to stand up and stop the Israel terror bombing.” [partial transcription from video]
For further analysis on Mads Gilbert,click here
38) Oxfam
Press Release: “Nowhere safe to go in Gaza, says Oxfam as staff member’s refuge gets hit,” January 13, 2009
- “´The prolonged war across the Gaza Strip is decimating the homes and lives of tens of thousands civilians – men, women and children,’ says John Prideaux-Brune, Oxfam Great Britain Country Director. ‘Oxfam demands an immediate end to the violence. We cannot afford one more night of these appalling incidents.´”
- “Oxfam International is urging all parties to immediately reach a durable ceasefire. The protection of civilians on both sides must be an absolute priority for all actors. The level of civilian casualties recorded in Gaza is completely excessive and mounting by the hour. Indiscriminate rocket fire by Palestinian armed groups at Israel is inadmissible.”
Blog: “Gaza: Goodnight my love, see you in heaven,” NO DATE
Article: “Humanitarian desperation in Gaza,” January 9, 2009, By Jeremy Hobbs, Executive Director Oxfam International
- “Gaza’s civilian population has already borne the brunt of an increasingly severe blockade for the last 18 months, impeding access to a wide range of goods and supplies and making it hard for people to move freely in and out of Gaza. It has been a form of collective punishment illegal under international humanitarian law yet tolerated by the international community.”
“Gaza hospitals on the brink of collapse as Israeli offensive continues,” January 6, 2009 [Oxfam US]
“Gaza: Oxfam supported health worker killed and ambulance destroyed in Israeli shelling,” January 4, 2009
- “A paramedic working for an Oxfam funded organization was killed when an Israeli shell struck a civilian ambulance in Gaza today according to international agency Oxfam.”
- “The incident shows yet again that trying to fight a military campaign in the densely populated streets and alleys of the Gaza Strip will inevitably lead to civilian casualties.”
- “Oxfam is also calling on the European Union to suspend the EU-Israel upgrade process until there is a comprehensive ceasefire in Gaza, and Israel provides unimpeded humanitarian access.”
“Maximum pressure needed from EU delegation to end Gaza onslaught,” January 2, 2009
“The agency is calling on the EU delegation to put maximum pressure on all sides to end the violence immediately. It says that Israeli bombing is excessive and Hamas’ rocket fire indiscriminate and neither party is respecting international humanitarian law.”
“Humanitarian crisis set for catastrophe,” January 2, 2009
The Guardian, by Kirsty Hughes (Advocacy director, Oxfam)
“After 18 months of a blockade of Gaza, constituting an illegal collective punishment under international humanitarian law, the bombing has left families facing critical shortages of food and fuel.”
“Gaza crisis – Crisis critical with supplies of food and fuel perilously low,” December 31, 2008
“There must be a robust response from the international community to achieve an immediate and permanent ceasefire. After five days of violence it is time for the Security Council to urgently to pass a binding resolution demanding an immediate halt to violence in Gaza and Israel by all parties and an end to the blockade,” said Nicole Widdersheim, Head of Oxfam International’s New York Advocacy Office.
On the current humanitarian situation, John Prideaux-Brune Oxfam’s Country Director in Jerusalem said:
“We have had to suspend an aid programme helping at least 65,000 people. Our aid workers in Gaza are besieged, restricted to their homes and in fear of their and their families´ lives. Nine months ago aid agencies warned the crisis in Gaza was the worst it has ever been since the 1967 ´six-day war´. Months of a tightening blockade and the latest disproportionate attacks make it much worse.”
“EU call for improved humanitarian access welcome but must not be a substitute for diplomatic pressure for immediate ceasefire” December 30, 2008
- “…For the people of Gaza the latest round of violence is an intense part of a festering catastrophe they have endured for more than 18 months. An immediate end to the violence and an end to the blockade of Gaza is desperately needed,” said Jeremy Hobbs, Oxfam International’s Executive Director.”
“Bombing severely reduces Oxfam’s aid programme in Gaza as humanitarian crisis looms” 28 December, 2008
- “The international community must not stand aside and allow Israeli leaders to commit massive and disproportionate violence against Gazan civilians in violation of international law. Oxfam condemns outright Hamas´ rocket attacks on Israeli civilians. However they cannot justify this overwhelming military response which is killing innocent civilians.”
- “World leaders must …push the Israelis to continuously open all crossing points into Gaza,” ignoring the role of Egypt in allowing access.
“Aid agencies warn of humanitarian catastrophe if Gaza is attacked” December 27, 2008 [joint Oxfam/CARE International/Diakonia statement]
- Published before Saturday´s air strikes, this statement reveals that some NGOs had decided Israel´s response was disproportionate before it was carried out: “The aid agencies condemned all attacks on civilians and called on the international community to speak out against the disproportionate use of force by any side.”
39) Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR)
Donors includeEuropean Commission, Norway, Trocaire, Irish Aid, Denmark, Austria, Switzerland, NOVIB-Holland, Open Society Institute, Dan Church Aid, Christian Aid (pg.6)
No calls by this organization to end indiscriminate rocket attacks on Israeli civilians.
Press release, PCHR condemns IOF use of unidentified incinerating bombs against civilians, causing horrific burns, January 14, 2009
Press release, IOF continue attacks across the Gaza Strip for the 18th consecutive day, January 13, 2009
Press release, The Palestinian medical services, between the fire of IOF and the importance of transferring and treating the wounded and killed and sick, January 13, 2009 [in Arabic]
Press Release: “17th Day of Continuous IOF Attacks Across the Gaza Strip,” January 12, 2009
Photos, Photos of Gaza Strip, Dec. 2008- Jan. 2009 [Please do not open that, I beg you! It´s very hard to see]
Testimonies, I am still alive, January 8, 2009
Press release, 17th continuous day of the IOF attacks across the Gaza Strip, January 12 2009
Press Release: “Israel Uses Incinerating Bombs Against Civilian Population 16th Day of Continuous IOF Attacks Across the Gaza Strip: 93 Palestinians Killed, Including 10 Children and 6 Women: Current Death Toll stands at 852: IOF Victims Include 203 Children, 58 Women and 165 Civil Police Officers:,” January 11, 2009
Interview of Raji Sourani (Inter Press Service): “Israel May Face Charges for War Crimes,” January 7, 2009
Interview of Raji Sourani (Audio, FIDH) “International law and Humanitarian law are not only for intellectuals and academics,” January 6, 2009
Press release,Israel is using killing instruments which are internationally forbidden, and the continuance of conveying unprecedented war crimes against the civilian residents, and the widening of the invasion into areas in the 15th day of the war on Gaza, January 11, 2009 [in Arabic]
Press Release: “IOF War on the Gaza Strip Enters Its 3rd Week; 34 Palestinians Killed, Including 4 Children and 3 Women, and the Total Number of Victims Now Mounts to 799, Including 193 Children, 53 women, 6 Medical Personnel, One Palestinian Journalist and 165 Civil Police Officers,” January 10, 2009
Press Release: “Fourteenth Day of Continuous IOF Attacks cross the Gaza Strip 53 Palestinians Killed, Including 20 Children and 4 Women; The Total Number of Victims Now Stands at 764, Including 189 Children, 50 Women, 6 Medical Personnel and One Palestinian journalist,” January 9, 2009
Press Release: “Thirteenth Day of Continuous IOF Attacks Across the Gaza Strip 38 Palestinians killed during the reporting period, including 11 children and six women. The total number of victims now stands at 712, including 169 children, 46 women, six medical personnel and one Palestinian journalist,” January 8, 2009
Weekly Report: “Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) Have Continued Their War on the Gaza for the 2nd Consecutive Week under International Silence,” January 7, 2009
Weekly report,The weekly report about the Israeli abuses in the Palestinian occupied lands, January 7, 2009 [in Arabic]
Press release,The Israeli war on the stripe has entered its third week, January 10 [in Arabic]
Press release,In the 13th day of the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, 38 civilian Palestinians were killed, among them 11 children and 6 women(in Arabic), January 8, 2009
Press Release: “Twelfth Day of Continuous IOF Attacks Against the Population of Gaza,” January 7, 2009
- “Investigations conducted by the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) indicate that more than 90% of the Palestinians killed in the Gaza Strip in the last three days have been unarmed civilians”
- “Israel continues to show no mercy in its military campaign, intent on destroying entire areas populated by civilians.”
- “PCHR have documented, and confirmed, Israeli war crimes being committed against the population of the Gaza Strip throughout this military operation.”
Press release,In the 12th day of the Israeli aggression over Gaza Strip, 83 Palestinian residents were killed, among them 80 civilians, half of them are women and children, January 7, 2009 (In Arabic)
- “In a new crime of the war crimes at the aggression on the Gaza Strip. Israeli crime occupation forces have killed 39 Palestinian civilians”
Press Release: “On the 11th Consecutive Day of the Offensive on the Gaza Strip, IOF Expand Ground Operations; the Number of Palestinian Deaths Rises to 599, Including 130 Children, 33 Women and 6 Medical Personnel; and Many Victims Remain Under Debris of Destroyed Buildings,” January 6, 2009
” [PCHR] Condemns these crimes, which are part of a series of continuous crimes committed by IOF in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) with total disregard for the lives of Palestinian civilians, considering them a form of collective punishment . . .”
“International law and Humanitarian law are not only for intellectuals and academics” January 6, 2009 (*Interview with Raji Sourani, FIDH vice president and director of PCHR)
- “Support for these crimes by United States should be scandalized and should be confronted because it leads to rule of jungle…”
- “This is the first war ever… that targets…civilians.”
- “We are talking about unique, special crimes, first class war crimes, and this is happening in the eyes of the world…”
“On the 10th Consecutive Day of the Offensive on the Gaza Strip, Israel Continues its Widespread Ground and Aerial Attacks; Civilians are Increasingly Caught in the Crossfire; the Number of Palestinians Killed Has Risen to 505, Including 106 Children and 22 Women,” January 5, 2009
“This aggression continues in the marked absence of any significant moral or legal decisions on the part of the international community with respect to the cessation of hostilities, the enforcement of international humanitarian law, and the protection of the civilian population.”
Press release, January 6, 2009 (In Arabic)
In the 11th day of the aggression on the Gaza strip, number of casualties has risen to 599, among them 130 children and 33 women, and 6 people from the medical services
Press release, January 5, 2009 (In Arabic)
In the 10th day of Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, barbaric and unprecedented attacks and whole families are among the wounded or killed, and the number of casualties has lifted to 505 killed, among them 106 children and 22 women
“On the 9th Day of the Offensive on the Gaza Strip, Israel Practices State Terrorism; The Number of Palestinians Killed Rises to 424, Mostly Civilians, Including 88 Children and 19 Women,” January 4, 2009
“IOF warplanes have launched more strikes against several civilian facilities in the context of their war on the Gaza Strip.”
Press release,In the 9th day of the aggression, Israel is harassing in the extremist ways of a country terror and is shedding the blood of Palestinian civilians in their houses and mosques(In Arabic), January 4, 2009
“IOF Offensive on the Gaza Strip Continues for the 8th Consecutive Day,” January 3, 2009
“Facts on the ground indicate that all population of the Gaza Strip are targeted and there is a clear intention to destroy all aspects of life and means of subsistence through the use of the most destructive arsenal and the psychological war through leaflets dropped from the air demanding Palestinian civilians to leave their areas of residence.”
Press release,A report about: The humanitarian crisis which is becoming worse and worse with the continuance of the Israeli aggression on the Gaza strip(In Arabic), January 3, 2009
“IOF Offensive on the Gaza Strip Continues for the 7th Consecutive Day,” January 2, 2009
During the latest hours, the most brutal crime committed by IOF in the Gaza Strip was the extra-judicial execution of Dr. Nizar Rayan, a senior leader of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), together with his 4 wives and 11 of his children. This heinous crime reminds of the extra-judicial execution of Sheikh Salah Shehada at al-Daraj Neighborhood in Gaza City on 23 July 2002 [Shehada, a leader in the planning of terrorist attacks, was responsible for the deaths and injuries of hundreds of Israelis]. Such attacks constitute war crimes, whose perpetrators and their military and political leaders must be prosecuted.”
“PCHR: Holds Israel responsible for the lives of Palestinian civilians in all circumstances. Under the international law, the existence of armed resistance does not in any case justify the use of such excessive force disproportionately and indiscriminately.”
Weekly report, January 1, 2009 (In Arabic)
The weekly report about the Israeli abuse in the Occupied Palestinian territories.
- “The most bloody week since the beginning of the occupation since 41 years ago”.
“Israeli Military Raids on Gaza Civilian Population Continues, and Humanitarian Crisis Exacerbates in the Midst of Shameful Silence of the International Community,” December 31, 2008
“These raids have targeted Palestinian institutions, including security and civilian facilities. They have targeted houses; schools; mosques; hospitals; medical institutions; charities; and municipalities with disregard to the possibility of endangering the lives, security and safety of the civilian population, and compromising the capacity of the targeted institutions to provide vital services to the civilian population.”
“PCHR follow-up covers war crimes and crimes against humanity that IOF are still committing against the Palestinian civilian population in the Gaza Strip, that have resulted in hundreds of deaths and casualties among Palestinian civilians, in addition to the destruction of civilian facilities.”
“Today, in light of the continued humanitarian crisis, indiscriminate killing and continued systematic destruction of all the Palestinian institutions and civilian facilities in the Gaza Strip, PCHR calls upon all the parties that were involved in ensuring respect for human rights in many countries to stop dealing in double-standards with IOF serious violations of human rights that amount to genocides committed against the civilian population in the Gaza Strip.”
“Weekly Report: On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory,” December 31, 2008
This document contains blatantly false statements such as that “all victims of recent attacks are civilians” and claims that the IDF are “forcing” Palestinians to leave East Jerusalem in order to “Judaize” Jerusalem
“PCHR believes that this declared war target Palestinian civilians and their property, and statements of Israeli political and military officials herald a humanitarian catastrophe and a persistent war at all levels.”
“All of the victims of recent attacks are civilians, and dozens of houses have been heavily damaged.”
“Judaization of Jerusalem: IOF have escalated arbitrary measures against Palestinian civilians in East Jerusalem to force them to leave the city.
During the reporting period, IOF demolished a house in Beit Hanina village near East Jerusalem.”
Press daily report, December 31, 2008 (In Arabic)
A continuous chain of Israeli war incursions on the civilian houses in the strip, and the harsh deterioration of the severity of the humanitarian holocaust in it, simultaneous with a disgraceful silence of the international community.
“Gross Human Rights Violations and War Crimes in the Gaza Strip,” December 30, 2008,
Signatories also include: Al-Haq, Adalah, Ad-Dameer, Al-Mezan, BADIL, Defence for Children International, Musawa, PNGO
“Representing the Palestinian human rights community, we write to you with an urgent request for intervention by the UN Human Rights Council to put an end to the war crimes and crimes against humanity being committed in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) as a result of the Israeli occupying forces‘ ongoing attacks on the Gaza Strip.”
“Grave breaches of the Fourth Geneva Convention amounting to war crimes, have been committed, including, wilful killing and the extensive destruction of property not justified by military necessity and carried out unlawfully and wantonly.”
“It is our considered judgement that the only effective measure the UN Human Rights Council can take under these specific circumstances is to issue a resolution requesting the General Assembly to convene under GA Resolution 377, “Uniting for Peace,” with a view towards the imposition of collective measures against the Israeli Government.”
“On the 4th Day of IOF Offensive on the Gaza Strip, the Number of Palestinians Killed Mount to 310, Mostly Civilians, Including 37 Children and 9 Women” December 30, 2008
- “They [the IOF] have increasingly bombarded civilian facilities, mosques and houses, without paying attention to the lives and safety of Palestinian civilians. … investigations conducted by PCHR indicate that IOF have used excessive lethal force and that the majority of the facilities that have been targeted are public and private property located in densely populated areas, making Palestinian civilians pay a heavy price from their lives and property. All of the victims of recent attacks are civilians, and dozens of houses have been heavily damaged.”
“9 Palestinian Children Killed Raising the Number of Children Killed Since the Beginning of the Current IOF Offensive against the Gaza Strip to 31” December 29, 2008
- “IOF have continued to attack children, women and old people in disregard to their lives, humanitarian appeals and international humanitarian law and human rights law.”
- “PCHR…:
- Condemns these crimes, …, considering them a form of collective punishment against the Palestinian civilian population in violation of article 33 of the Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War.
- Holds Israel responsible for the lives of Palestinian civilians in all circumstances. Under the international law, the existence of armed resistance does not in any case justify the use of such excessive force disproportionately and indiscriminately.
- Calls upon the international community to immediately intervene to stop such crimes, …”
- “251 casualties, most of them are civilians, 20 children and 9 women. 584 wounded, among them 130 children and 28 women” [Arabic] December 28, 2008
- Claims Israel was targeting civilians in a “human holocaust”
- TheEnglish versionof this press release does not use this language
- “Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) have continued to wage their bloodiest and most brutal war against the Gaza Strip since its occupation in 1967, under an international and Arab conspiracy of silence”
- “According to what PCHR field workers have been able to document so far, the number of civilian victims in the first ten minutes of the offensive against the Gaza Strip is the highest since 1967, and it is higher than the number of victims in the war against Lebanon in 2006.”
“On the Bloodiest Day in the History of Occupation, Hundreds of Palestinian Civilian Deaths and Casualties in an Israeli Aerial Offensive against the Gaza Strip” December 27, 2008
- “PCHR strongly condemns such series of war crimes being committed by IOF in the Gaza Strip, and… Such attacks are an indication of Israeli disregard for the lives and safety of Palestinian civilians, which can be seen in the high number of civilian victims.”
40) Palestinian Grassroots Anti-Apartheid Wall Coalition (PGAAWC)
“´Silence is complicity´: Across the world, citizens take to the streets in anger as the Gaza massacre continues,” December 30, 2008
- “Since the start of the Gaza massacre on Saturday, activists and citizens have poured into the streets of cities across the world to voice their anger at the Israeli occupation and to call for action to halt the Israeli crimes.”
- Includes a list of protests throughout the world.
41) Palestinian NGO Network (PNGO)
PNGO has receivedfundingfrom the Ford Foundation
Press release, The medical branch of the net is demanding to send an international investigation committee to the Gaza Strip to investigate the use of illegal weapons, January 11, 2009 [in Arabic]
Press release, Stopping the interfering of security mechanisms with the life of civilians immediately, no date [in Arabic].
Press release, The net of the people´s organizations harshly denounces the crime of the occupation in bombing the headquarters of the union of committee of medical care, no date [in Arabic].
Press release,Stop War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity.
Press release,PNGO net is managing an consultation meeting in the frame of growing solidarity efforts with Gaza (In Arabic, Miftah site), January 5, 2009
Article,The houses of Gaza are not a safe haven, and there is no time for statistics of casualties(In Arabic), by Amjad Al-Shu from Gaza.
“Urgent Appeal to stop the massacre in Gaza Strip” December 27, 2008
- “PNGO calls on the international community to take immediate measures to compel Israel to stop the collective punishment of the civilian population in the Gaza Strip and to fulfill its legal obligations under international law.”
- “Further, PNGO ask the international civil society to show their solidarity to Palestinian people, holding demonstrations against Israeli air strikes and asking their government to pressure Israel to stop its crimes against Palestinian people.”
“About the massacre which is being committed (in the sense of crime) against the right of the Palestinian nation” December 27, 2008
- “The Israeli government has initiated this massacre against our people in the Gaza strip which rises up to the degree of war crimes against humanity, and in which the obligation of perusing the fulfillment of them is of the world´s governments and the governments of the European countries which calls (for) human rights.”
“Stop the Massacre in Gaza – Boycott Israel Now!” December 27, 2008
- “… This latest bloodbath, although far more ruthless than all its predecessors, is not Israel´s first. It culminates months of an Israeli siege of Gaza that should be widely condemned and prosecuted as an act of genocide against the 1.5 million Palestinians in the occupied coastal strip.”
- “… Incarcerated behind ghetto walls and brought to the brink of starvation by the siege, they are easy targets for Israel´s indiscriminate bombing.”
- “To join and intensify the international Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign against Israel to end its impunity and to hold it accountable for its persistent violation of international law and Palestinian rights.”
42) Pax Christi
Letter to UN Secretary General from Pax Christi International “Violence in Gaza,” January 7, 2009
- “The Palestinian rocket attacks against Israeli civilians constitute a serious violation of international humanitarian law and must stop, but nothing can justify the unconscionable and disproportionate Israeli military actions in Gaza . . . the whole population in Gaza is being punished collectively for the actions of a few militants”
Web page dedicated to Gaza: “The Devastating Situation in Gaza,”
43) Physicians for Human Rights-Israel (PHR-I)
DonorsincludeEuropean Commission, Ford Foundation, Oxfam, Christian Aid, Diakonia.
Press release, Shooting at medical personnel – testimonies from Gaza, January 14, 2009
Press release, PHR-Israel and 9 human rights organizations warn of a clear and present danger to the lives and well-being of tens of thousands of civilians in Gaza, January 14, 2009
Press release, Protest, Solidarity and aid convoy for the residents of Gaza, January 14, 2009
Press release, Donations for medical emergency aid equipment to Gaza, January 12, 2009 [in Hebrew]
Press release, at 10.1.09, after a delay of 7 days, the El-A´aidi family, among them 6 are wounded, finally were evacuated from their house, January 11, 2009 [in Hebrew]
Press release, Court hearing regarding two petitions submitted by PHR-Israel and 7 human rights organizations regarding targeting emergency medical personnel and preventing the timely evacuation of wounded, January 11, 2009
Press release, Physicians for Human Rights-Israel update 11.1.09, January 11, 2009
Press release, Physicians for human rights slams HCJ for foot-dragging while lives are lost, January 11, 2009
Press release, Testimonies from the war in Gaza: residents of the stripe and medical personnel tell PHR about their situation, January 11, 2009 [in Hebrew]
Interview,An interview with professor Bentowitz about the situation of the medical system in Gaza in the shadow of the attack, January 11, 2009 [in Hebrew]
Press release,Physicians for Human Rights slams HCJ foot-dragging while lives are lost, January 11, 2009
Press release (NRG news flashes in Hebrew) January 7, 2009
- “Opening the humanitarian corridor to Gaza without taking out injured people to Israel is too little and too late. This is a step which is made just to improve Israel´s image”.
Press release,Air strike on a-Raeiya Medical Center and its mobile clinics: 5.1.09January 7 (With B´Tselem, including photos)
Blog entry,Short Ceasefire to evacuate the wounded? Problems of coordination
January 7, 2009
Press release,Testimonies from Gaza, January 7, 2009
Article,Israel Must double, triple, quadruple its medical aid to Gaza, Haaretz, January 7, 2009
Press release, January 5, 2009 (In Hebrew)
The war in Gaza – testimonies from the strip
- “PHR-I is publishing testimonies of residents from the strip about the reality of life in the shadow of the Israeli attacks. The testimonies have been collected from the original source, and were given by telephone from families which have connected PHR-I in the past in request of help”.
- One of the interviewed people is “S., 23 years old, journalist, the operator of thewww.gazatoday.blogspot.comblog”.
Press release, January 5, 2009 (In Hebrew)
Wounded are besieged in Gaza and are waiting for evacuation: no roof above them, no food, and no water
Press release, January 5, 2009
Physicians for Human Rights – Israel Gaza update, 5.1.09
- “Moreover, PHR-I has collected personal testimonies from patients it had assisted in the past, in order to hear from them about conditions on the ground during the current Israeli offensive”.
Press release,PHR-I to the chief of general staff: While the operation, allow transporting of injured from Gaza to external medical centers, January 5, 2009 (In Hebrew)
- “[PHR-I] is demanding the international community to take care that Israel will fulfill it´s obligation to treat the injured from the Israeli attacks from the ground and air, and it is calling for an immediate cease fire as the only solution of preventing the increasing number of casualties, and of stopping the continues deteriorating of the humanitarian crisis which is in the Gaza Strip”.
Press release,Physicians for Human Rights in a letter to the Defense Minister: Protect residents of unrecognized villages in the Negev, January 5, 2009
“Unrecognized villages have no means of protection or shelter from Qassam or Grad rockets. Furthermore, due to a policy of house demolitions, and refusal to issue building permits, most residents live in tin huts or shacks with no existing means of public protection such as public shelters or protected rooms, PHR explains.”
Press release,Difficulties in medical evacuation services and first aid in Gaza(in Hebrew), January 5, 2009
Press Release,Palestinian Medical Relief Society and Physicians for Human Rights-Israel: Urgent call for immediate international intervention, January 4, 2009
- “The most recent escalation of the Israeli attack against the Gaza population has led to further chaos and destruction and to rising numbers of casualties. The Palestinian Medical Relief Society and Physicians for Human Rights-Israel call for urgent and immediate intervention by the international community, and especially the Quartet, for the enforcement of an immediate ceasefire.”
Press release,PHR-I to Israeli Minister of Defense: Stop Attacks on Medical Infrastructure and personnel in Gaza,January 2, 2009.
- “PHR-Israel is concerned over the continued shelling of residential areas around Gaza, exposing the civilian population and infrastructure- civilians and doctors as one in the same, to attacks”.
Daily update,The update includes information about government hospitals, evacuations of wounded patients from Gaza to outside centers of care, medical supplies and medications, and attack on medical infrastructure, January 4, 2009
- “Requests on behalf of sick patients for referral to Israeli centers of care are being transferred via the Palestinian Civil Affairs Committee to the Israeli army and a limited number of patients had been transferred out of Gaza to Israel via the Erez Crossing”.
Press release, December 31, 2008 (In Hebrew)
Medical status update Gaza strip
- “PHR-I has today demanded from the defense minister and the health minister to cancel the conditioning of transferring severely wounded people from the Gaza strip for life saving treatment in Israel with a financial commitment for paying the cost of hospitalization in Israel. By updated reports which PHR-I received from hospitals in the strip, it has been clear that the injured who are transferred for treatment is Israel must have a financial commitment which the Palestinian health ministry which sits in Ramallah is supposed to give to them. Those sources which gave this information has also said that the PA refuses to give these commitments to the wounded from the Israeli attacks (to other patients, this commitment is given) because the ministry views Israel the responsible, and therefore the one which should bear the cost of hospitalization and treatment. Other sources in the PA have denied this refusal”.
- “PHR-I thinks that Israel should anyway cease her bureaucratic and firm demand not to discuss the transfer of patients without a commitment from the PA. Whatever the financial disagreement is, it could be solved later on and in the meantime to deal with saving the wounded lives”.
“Wounded and in a catch-22” December 30, 2008
- “…Israel was indeed ready to accept patients from Gaza and even prepared space for them. Apparently – [the Israeli Ministry of Health] claimed – the Palestinian Civil Affairs Committee has decided against submitting requests on behalf of wounded persons to the Israeli District Coordination Office (DCO).”
- “… PHR-Israel contacted the Palestinian Civil Affairs Office in Gaza, (under the direction of the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Ramallah) and was informed by its representative that it has indeed decided not to refer wounded persons to Israel, only to Egypt…. Since the beginning of attacks, no permit requests have been submitted to Israeli authorities.”
PHR-I in an urgent call do the defense minister: open the Erez crossing to the injured from the bombing of the IDF December 30, 2008 (Hebrew) [Letter signed by: ACRI, Amnesty Israel, B´Tselem, Gisha, PCATI, Hamoked, Bimkom, Yesh Dim, Adalah, Rabbis for Human rights, PHR-I.]
- “Israel has recently declared the Gaza strip as a closed military area. Due to Israel´s control in Gaza over 40 years, and its current control on the strip, Israel – which wages an military massive attack in Gaza – is charged with full responsibility to treat the injured people from its´ attack, and to allow their immediate transfer to hospitals which could treat them, this by the International law which it must obey, including international law of war, which it is obliged to obey…”
Physicians for Human Rights-Israel, Gaza Emergency Appeal: Gaza Hospitals Already Filled to Capacity; Medical Supplies on the Verge of Depletion December 29, 2008
- “Since the beginning of attacks in Gaza three days ago, over 300 people have been reported dead, more than 1000 wounded, and many hundreds more are in need of immediate medical attention.”
“Emergency Gaza Update” [joint statement withAl-Mezan(Gaza) and The Palestinian Medical Relief Society (Ramallah)]
- Ignores Egypt´s role: “The closure imposed by Israel on all Gaza crossings, including the total closure of Erez Crossing since last Friday, prevents the evacuation of patients and wounded persons and deepens the human tragedy occurring in the Gaza Strip.” But later admits that Hamas is preventing people leaving via Erez.
- “Targeting of civilians and/of medical facilities is a breach of international humanitarian law. The targets chosen by the Israeli military include also clearly civilian installations.”
- Reasserts standard NGO claim that Gaza is still occupied and that the residents´ welfare are Israel´s responsibility.
44) Public Committee Against Torture in Israel (PCATI)
Press release,Public statement on the treatment of detainees taken during the current war in Gaza, January 8, 2009
Letter to the Head of the military prosecution,The terms in which the detainees from Gaza are being held, January 8, 2009 (in Hebrew)
In the name of: ACRI, PCATI, HaMoked, B´Tselem and Yesh Din.
Press release,End the Killing of Civilians, January 8, 2009
- “An ad published by human rights organizations in the “Ha´aretz” newspaper on 30 December 2008: “Civilians are not cannon fodder, not in Gaza, not in Sderot”.
Press release,A petition to the Supreme Court against attacking medical personnel in the Gaza Strip and denying them from aiding the injured(In Hebrew), January 8, 2009
- “8 human rights organizations have petitioned urgently the Supreme Court, Tuesday, January 6th 2009, in a demand to prevent the Israeli army to deliberately attack medical personnel and ambulances while they are acting in the Gaza Strip, and to allow them to aid the injured and to transfer them immediately to the hospital. The petition was delivered by advocate Fatmah al-Aju from the Adalah Center, in the name of Adalah Center, PHR-I, PCATI, Gisha, Bimkom, ACRI, HaMoked, and Yesh Din”.
Human rights groups report from the field
- “Israeli human groups gave launched a blog supplying ongoing updates about the caused to civilians as part of the fighting in Gaza strip and Southern Israel. The Distinction between civilians and combatants is a fundamental principle of human morality and a central tenet in international humanitarian law (the laws of war). As such, attacking or bombing a civilian population is strictly prohibited – whether in Gaza, Sderot or anywhere else. The ongoing unlawful attacks from Gaza on the civilian population in Israel do not provide legal or moral justification for indiscriminate damage inflicted on innocent Palestinian civilians”.
“Stop Killing Civilians” Press release, December 30, December (Hebrew, the same advertisement which was published by Adalah on December 29, 2008, with an extra line:)
- “The daily strike upon civilians in the Gaza strip obliges us and the IDF soldiers who act on our behalf to remember and to act by the humanitarian law. In the past, both the Hamas activists and the IDF soldiers have violated these rules many times.”
Video release in youtube, December 28 2008
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMmvW1RX3ao&feature=channel_page
(In Hebrew)
“While the Israeli press is impassioned and do not criticize the army operations in Gaza and the Israeli government policy, it does not show up loud the protest of the Israeli public about the attack in Gaza. The media shows the protest as only it belongs to the Arab public.”
45) Rabbis for Human Rights
“Rabbis call for immediate truce in Gaza,” Ynetnews, January 13, 2009
46) Sabeel
“Sabeel´s reflection on Gaza,” December 31, 2008
“It is only when Israel ends its occupation that it can have a legitimate right to defend its borders. Israel stands in violation of international law and is the aggressor due to its belligerent occupation.”
“The Palestinians did not initiate the violence. The prolonged illegal Israeli occupation is the real cause for the violence in our area. Israel has shut the door on justice.”
47) Save the Children
Press Release: “Pitiful amount of aid reaching Gaza,” January 13, 2009
Save the Children UK
*Main picture on website is a Gazan mother and child, crying (same photo from UK newspaper ad over weekend asking for people to text word “ceasefire” which the press release is about)
Press Release: “Unprecedented response as British public signs up to Save the Children’s ‘Enough is Enough’ Gaza ceasefire campaign,” January 12, 2009
Petition: “Gaza: Enough is Enough”
Press Release: “Babies dying as Gazans struggle to reach overwhelmed hospitals”
Save the Children US
Press Release: “Newborns and Babies in Gaza Face Increasing Health Threats,” January 11, 2009
Press Release: “Vulnerability of Children in Gaza Increases,” January 9, 2009
Press Release: “Brief Cease-fire Brings Little Relief to Families in Gaza,” January 7, 2009
- “´A three-hour window for delivering aid to an extremely frightened population is an insufficient approach to providing humanitarian assistance,´ said Annie Foster, Save the Children´s team leader for the Gaza emergency.”
“Save the Children Delivers Food to Families in Gaza Despite Violence,” January 4, 2009
“Save the Children is calling for a peaceful solution to the current crisis that endangers the lives of nearly every child in Gaza, and the lives of Israeli children in areas subject to attacks. Save the Children is calling for a cessation of hostilities by all parties including air and ground assaults from Israel and rocket attacks from Gaza.”
“Crisis Deepens for the Children of Gaza,” December 30, 2008
- “Hundreds of thousands of children in Gaza — and many children in Israel as well — are living each day in fear of additional attacks…”
“Children of Gaza Need Your Help Now” December 29, 2008
- “The recent violence is making a very bad situation even worse …We once again urge all concerned parties to help find a solution to the current political impasse that is adversely affecting the lives of nearly every child in Gaza, while also endangering the lives of Israeli children in areas subject to possible rocket attacks.”
48) Trocaire
Speech from Bishop Kelley in Bethlehem: “what is needed in Gaza is the will to listen,” January 14, 2009
Article: “Stranded in the West Bank,” January 14, 2009
Trocaire/Amnesty/Christian Aid
Event: “Gaza Vigil in Dublin,” January 9, 2009
- “Trócaire, Amnesty and Christian Aid are holding a vigil for those who have lost their lives during illegal attacks on Gaza and southern Israel in recent weeks.”
- “Trócaire´s partners on the ground are providing factual reports and accurate analysis of what is going on.”
Press Release: “Medical clinic in Gaza destroyed by Israeli jet attack,” January 12, 2009
Press Release: “Getting medical aid to Gaza, They have given us a window when what we need is a door,” January 12, 2009
Blog: “The awful truth about Gaza – by Eoin Murray,” January 8, 2009
Website Posting: “Gaza Crisis,” NO DATE
- “Both Israeli and Palestinian civilians need protection from indiscriminate attacks.”
- “After almost two years under siege, civilians inside Gaza are trapped, traumatised and terrified in an area half the size of county Wexford.”
“OPT: Israel´s actions only serve to feed Palestinian contempt,” January 6, 2009
- After almost two years of siege, civilians inside Gaza are trapped, traumatised and terrified in an area half the size of county Wexford. They live in the world´s largest prison with no means of escape.”
- “Both Israeli and Palestinian civilians need protection from indiscriminate attacks. Israel´s military offensive and the homemade rockets fired by Hamas are in violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention.”
“Bishop John Kirby, Chairman of Trócaire, calls on Ireland to remember the people of Zimbabwe, Gaza and the DRC,” December 29, 2008
- “We pray for the people of Gaza who have experienced a recent and most terrible escalation in violence in their land and who for years have had to survive without hope in the most challenging and isolated of environments. We pray that 2009 will bring lasting peace for all the people of Palestine and all the people of Israel.”
49) UNICEF
“Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah UNICEF Eminent Advocate for Children
Statement to the Press on Gaza,” January 5, 2009
“Either the [universal declaration of human rights] is not so universal, or the people of Gaza are not human beings, worthy of the same ‘universal’ rights. This is the message the world is sending out today.”
“UNICEF statement on situation in Gaza,” December 29, 2008
UNICEF urges all parties to the conflict to abide by their international legal obligation to ensure that children are protected and that they receive essential humanitarian supplies and support.
50) World Vision
Donors includeUS AID(pdfDownloaded here),Irish Aid,Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs
Press Release: “World Vision prepares aid to join convoy as humanitarian situation deteriorates,” January 14, 2009
“Gaza: 50,000 people targeted with emergency assistance,” January 2, 2009
“World Vision continues to advocate for a complete cessation of violence, and for all parties to respect International Humanitarian Law and the Geneva Convention.”
“End the bloodshed, protect the children” December 30, 2008
- “World Vision strongly urges all parties to recommit to an immediate ceasefire.”
- “World Vision has consistently called for all sides to refrain from violence. Moreover, we have called for an end to the 18 month blockade of 1.5 million Palestinians, which has devastated the Gazan economy, halted services, and rendered its people to be entirely dependent on humanitarian assistance.
“World Vision repeats call to immediately stop all Gaza violence” December 29, 2008
- “We utterly condemn Hamas´s rocket attacks on Israeli civilians…but we cannot justify this overwhelming military action by the Israelis which is killing and injuring many innocent civilians.”
- “The number of casualties has completely overwhelmed the limited health services, which had already been starved of essential surgical supplies by the 18-month Israeli blockade against the import of goods including most humanitarian supplies.”
51) War on Want (WoW)
Letter Writing Campaign: “Take Action for Gaza,” NO DATE
Event, Demonstration: “Stop the Massacre: Israel Out of Gaza,” January 10, 2009
- Marching from Hyde Park to Israeli Embassy
Press Release: “´Israel war crimes shame UK´,”
- The British government is today accused of complicity in Israeli crimes against the Palestinian people.”
- “The charity brands Israel’s attack the culmination of its policy of collective punishment and killing against the people of Gaza over the past 18 months.”
- “War on Want is urging the public to write to UK foreign secretary David Miliband, demanding sanctions on Israel.
“End Israel´s attack on Gaza” December 31, 2008
- “This attack is the culmination of a policy of collective punishment and killing practised [sic] by Israel against the people of Gaza over the past 18 months. Israel has imposed an illegal state of siege on Gaza and created a devastating humanitarian crisis for the 1.4 million people trapped there.”
- “Israel’s latest attack on the people of Gaza is a war crime, made possible only through the financial, military and diplomatic support Israel receives from Western states. The British government’s support for Israel makes it complicit in that crime.”
- “SATURDAY 3 JANUARY 2009 – NATIONAL RALLY: Join War on Want at the national rally to call for an end to the siege of Gaza” in London
- Recommended “action” includes to boycott Caterpillar and “call for the suspension of the EU-Israel association agreement”
52) Zochrot,
“Anthology against the war in Gaza” (Hebrew)