Israel accused of war crimes over 12-hour assault on Gaza village

Israel accused of war crimes over 12-hour assault on Gaza village
White flags ignored and houses bulldozed with families inside, claim residents
Fida Qishta in Khuza'a and Peter Beaumont in London
The Observer, Sunday 18 January 2009

Israel stands accused of perpetrating a series of war crimes during a sustained 12-hour assault on a village in southern Gaza last week in which 14 people died.

In testimony collected from residents of the village of Khuza'a by the Observer, it is claimed that Israeli soldiers entering the village:

• attempted to bulldoze houses with civilians inside;

• killed civilians trying to escape under the protection of white flags;

• opened fire on an ambulance attempting to reach the wounded;

• used indiscriminate force in a civilian area and fired white phosphorus shells.

If the allegations are upheld, all the incidents would constitute breaches of the Geneva conventions.

The denunciations over what happened in Khuza'a follow repeated claims of possible human rights violations from the Red Cross, the UN and human rights organisations.

The Israeli army announced yesterday that it was investigating "at the highest level" five other attacks against civilians in Gaza, involving two UN facilities and a hospital. It added that in all cases initial investigations suggested soldiers were responding to fire. "These claims of war crimes are not supported by the slightest piece of evidence," said Yigal Palmor, an Israeli foreign ministry spokesman.

Concern over what occurred in the village of Khuza'a in the early hours of Tuesday was first raised by the Israeli human rights group B'Tselem. Although an Israeli military spokesman said he had "no information that this alleged incident took place", witness statements collected by the Observer are consistent and match testimony gathered by B'Tselem.

There is also strong visible evidence that Khuza'a came under a sustained attack from tanks and bulldozers that smashed some buildings to pieces.

Pictures taken by photographer Bruno Stevens in the aftermath show heavy damage - and still burning phosphorus. "What I can tell you is that many, many houses were shelled and that they used white phosphorus," said Stevens yesterday, one of the first western journalists to get into Gaza. "It appears to have been indiscriminate." Stevens added that homes near the village that had not been hit by shell fire had been set on fire.

The village of Khuza'a is around 500 metres from the border with Israel. According to B'Tselem, its field researcher in Gaza was contacted last Tuesday by resident Munir Shafik al-Najar, who said that Israeli bulldozers had begun destroying homes at 2.30am.

When Rawhiya al-Najar, aged 50, stepped out of her house waving a white flag, so that the rest of the family could leave the house, she was allegedly shot by Israeli soldiers nearby.

The second alleged incident was on Tuesday afternoon, when Israeli troops ordered 30 residents to leave their homes and walk to a school in the village centre. After travelling 20 metres, troops fired on the group, allegedly killing three.

Further detailed accounts of what occurred were supplied in interviews given to a Palestinian researcher who has been working for the Observer, following the decision by Israel to ban foreign media from the Gaza Strip. Iman al-Najar, 29, said she watched as bulldozers started to destroy neighbours' homes and saw terrified villagers flee from their houses as masonry collapsed.

"By 6am the tanks and bulldozers had reached our house," Iman recalled. "We went on the roofs and tried to show we were civilians with white flags. Everyone was carrying a white flag. We told them we are civilians. We don't have any weapons. The soldiers started to destroy the houses even if the people were in them." Describing the death of Rawhiya, Iman says they were ordered by Israeli soldiers to move to the centre of the town. As they did, Israeli troops opened fire. Rawhiya was at the front of the group, says Iman.

Marwan Abu Raeda, 40, a paramedic working for the Nasser hospital in Khan Younis, said: "At 8am we received a phone call from Khuza'a. They told us about the injured woman. I went immediately. I was 60 or 70 metres away from the injured woman when the Israeli forces started to shoot at me." As he drove into another street, he came under fire again. Twelve hours later, when Rawhiya was finally reached, she was dead.

Iman said she ended up in an area of rubble where a large group of people had sought cover in a deep hole among the debris of demolished houses. It is then, she says, that bulldozers began to push the rubble from each side. "They wanted to bury us alive," she said.



http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jan/18/israel-war-crimes-gaza-conflict

Israelis and the Israeli War on Gaza

Israelis and the Israeli War on Gaza
Written by Sergio Yahni, Alternative Information Center (AIC)
Tuesday, 13 January 2009


Israeli students in Sderot during a Qassam rocket attack. "Under a rain of rockets, Sderot was transformed from a marginal town, where third-generation immigrants struggle to survive, into a symbol of the fate of the Jewish nation." The absolute majority of Israeli Jews support the current Israeli offensive in Gaza. They also supported the offensive against Lebanon in 2006 and the successive offensives carried out in the West Bank since 2000.
We could explain this position as an expression of the colonial ideology that feeds Zionism. However, this explanation represents Israeli society as being homogenous and devoid of contradictions, and would thus misrepresent reality. Israeli society is highly unstable and trapped within its own contradictions. It is precisely here that we should seek the reasons underlying militarism in Israel.

Mass immigration following the creation of Israel in 1948, not the successive wars with neighboring Arab states, was the greatest challenge facing the Zionist project and its class structure.

In its early years, Israel was forced to absorb a population twice as big as the number of people of European origin who founded the state. The primary intention for absorbing the immigrants was to supplant the Palestinian cheap labor force which had been deported just after WWII. Yet the immigrants, who in the majority came from the urban or rural middle-classes, resisted this process of impoverishment and proletarianization.

A series of popular uprisings in 1955 led the establishment to perceive the social ferment in the immigration camps as a threat to the Zionist project. Several Zionist leaders of the time wrote in their memoirs that they feared the Israeli Communist Party was planning a revolution.

The war of 1956, and the nationalist wave it aroused in Israel, created a space in which to ideologically include the immigrants. All Israelis, immigrants or not, shared the hardship of war and social discontent was relegated. Similarly, eleven years later, the 1967 war and the nationalist wave it unleashed following Israel’s victory served as a tool to discipline the independent trade union movement that had begun to develop.

Wars did not unify the diverse communities in Israel, but served to establish discipline within a fractured society. The wars, and particularly the military victory of 1967, served to establish the ethnic fundamentalism that characterizes the hegemonic discourse in Israel. This allowed the ruling classes to overcome the social rifts and thus suggest a Jewish national identity.

For this reason, the discourse of peace, which does not propose solutions to the social upheavals of Israeli society, subverts the promises of ethnic fundamentalism. With peace disappears the common danger that holds together the unemployed in Sderot and the systems engineer in Tel Aviv. At the same time, peace makes evident the social and ethnic rifts of Israel breaking its current façade of social stability.

For that reason, the most volatile period in Israel’s history were the years of the Oslo process. During this period Israel faced previously unknown and startling political violence, and no government managed to complete its full term. In this period, Israel had major general strikes and witnessed the renaissance of ethnic identities and growing criticism of Zionist history.

The reemergence of neoconservative thinking, which reached its peak during the two terms of George W. Bush, enabled the Israeli bourgeoisie to regenerate, becoming the department of research and development of the global arms industry.

The neoconservative politics in Israel were put in place by Ehud Barak. Their first appearance in the Israeli political scene was through a new offensive against the Palestinian people, both in the territories Israel occupied in 1967 and inside the green line, which ended the peace process in all practical terms. Only later, during the government of Ariel Sharon, were neoliberal economic and social policies implemented. As the combined consequence of the Israeli offensive and the neoliberal policies, impoverished Israelis can access the system through the military or private security agents. For those who cannot access the system, there is always nationalist radicalization.

According to this logic, the suicide attacks at the beginning of the decade and later Hamas’ homemade rockets allowed Israel to rebuild a Jewish identity based on common security interests. With these rockets, an impoverished and marginalized population, such as the population of Sderot, returned to the center of the national consensus. Under a rain of rockets, Sderot was transformed from a marginal town, where third-generation immigrants struggle to survive, into a symbol of the fate of the Jewish nation.

Obviously, this process also requires the exclusion of the non-Jewish population in Israel and the marginalization of its Palestinian citizens in public life. Otherwise, there would be a return to the harsh social relations that began to be realized during the peace process. Cleansed of ethnic privileges, an unemployed person in Sderot is a victim of the system.

The real Israeli is therefore built on an exclusive ethno-nationalism and the desire for peace must lose it actual meaning and become a meaningless rhetoric ritual. Obviously this also requires the exclusion of political forces that translate the desire for peace into a plan of action.

Therefore, it is not surprising that organizations and intellectuals well recognized abroad for their pacifist rhetoric, supported the offensive against the Palestinian people at the end of September 2000, the offensive against Lebanon in 2006 and the current offensive against the Palestinian people in Gaza.

But while the Zionist RIght justifies the war in terms of national security, the Zionist Left and its intellectuals joined the consensus on the theme of national sovereignty.

For intellectuals like Amos Oz and Ari Shavit, and politicians like Haim Oron of Meretz, all of whom recognize the ineffectiveness of the Palestinian rockets, the military offensive against Gaza is justified because those missiles violated national sovereignty.

For these spokesmen of the Zionist Left, the massive bombing of the early days of the offensive would be sufficient to restore Israel’s sovereignty. But the Zionist Right demands a final and notable victory, such as the one in 1967.

Obviously, when the Jewish population has to choose between a symbolic victory as proposed by the Zionist Left and a final one as the proposed by the Right, most would choose the final victory.

http://www.alternativenews.org/content/view/1534/381/

IOF War on the Gaza Strip Enters Its 3rd Week

Ref: 09/2009

Date: 10 January 2009

Time: 12:45 GMT



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

As the Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip has entered its third week, Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) have continued to kill Palestinian civilians, especially children. Gaza City and the northern Gaza Strip have been a scene of intense aerial, ground and sea attacks. Investigations conducted by PCHR indicate that IOF have continued to bombard Palestinian houses and civilian facilities persistently day and night, while the Palestinian civilian population suffer a humanitarian crisis as they lack electricity, water and food supplies. IOF have continued their war on the Gaza Strip with total disregard for international humanitarian standards and humanitarian law and in violation of the resolution issued by the United Nations Security Council yesterday morning calling for a ceasefire. Israel has stressed that it would continue its offensive and has even threatened to escalate it. PCHR is concerned that IOF may commit more war crimes against the Palestinian civilian population. Additionally, IOF have continued to attack and obstruct the work of medical, civil defense crews and humanitarian relief crews. Last night, IOF bombarded al-Jawhara building, in which a number of journalists were present. As a result, one journalist was wounded. The high number of civilian victims and the extensive destruction to public and private property are clear evidence that IOF, instructed by the Israeli political and military establishments, intend to cause maximum deaths and casualties among Palestinian civilians and maximum destruction to their property.

This is a summary of the crimes committed by IOF in the Gaza Strip during the last 24 hours.



Northern Gaza Strip

· On Friday morning, 9 January 2009, Bassam Qouta, 32, was killed by IOF near Hammouda fuel station at Salah al-Din Street in Jabalya town. Qouta is a driver of a truck belonging to Shuhaiber Company, which has a contract with UNRWA to transport food aids for UNRWA through Karm Abu Sale (Kerem Shalom) crossing. The truck driven by Qouta was traveling in a convoy of trucks that were raising UNRWA flags. IOF deliberately fired at the convoy.

· At approximately 12:00 on Friday, IOF warplanes a 2-storey house belonging to Hussein al-Za'anin in Khalil al-Wazeer Street in Beit Hanoun. The house was destroyed. At the same time, IOF shelled a 2-storey house belonging to 'Emad al-Za'anin in the same area.

· At approximately 12:40 on Friday, IOF fired artillery shells at Palestinian houses near the building of the Education Department in Beit Lahia town. As a result, a man and his wife were killed: Mohammed Mubarak Salah, 60; and Halima Saleh, 60. One of their sons was also wounded.

· At approximately 13:00 on Friday, IOF warplanes bombarded a 3-storey house belonging to Mohammed 'Abdul Karim Hamas in Beit Hanoun town. The house was destroyed and one of Hamad's sons was wounded.

· At approximately 14:00 on Friday, IOF fired artillery shells at al-Hawouz area in the east of Beit Lahia town. As a result, Ahmed Ibraim Abu Qulaiq, 18, from the Bedouin village, was killed as he was passing in the area.

· At approximately 16:30 on Friday, IOF warplanes opened fire at al-Shuhada Square, west of Jabalya refugee camp. Tamer Jamal Mahmoud Abu Hulayel, 35, was killed by a gunshot to the chest.

· On Friday evening, medical sources declared that Baraa' Eyad Shalha, 6, and Ussama al-'Abed Bader, 20, both from Beit Lahia, died of previous wounds they had sustained when an IOF warplanes attacked a crows of Palestinian civilians on 8 January 2009. Additionally, Ahmed Jaber Abu 'Atiya, 25, from Jabalya refugee camp, succumbed to wounds he had sustained when an IOF warplane bombarded Martyr Ibrahim al-Maqadma Mosque last week. Thus, the number of Palestinians killed in the attack on the mosque has mounted to 16.

· At approximately 19:25 on Friday, IOF warplanes bombarded with incinerating bombs residential areas in 'Abed Rabbu Street in the east of Jablya. Fire broke out in 4 houses. When civil defense and medical crews started to extinguish fire and rescue civilians, IOF troops position on rooftops in 'Izbat 'Abed Rabbu area fired at them.

· At approximately 20:00 on Friday, IOF warplanes attacked a number of Palestinian civilians near al-Falah Mosque in Jabalya town. One civilian was wounded.

· At approximately 21:00, IOF warplanes bombarded a 3-storey house belonging to Mohammed Rayan in Tal al-Za'tar area in the east of Jabalya. The house was destroyed.

· At approximately 23:00 on Friday, the body of Ussama Mohammed Ahmed Jom'a, 30, a resistance activist from Jabalya, was brought to Kamal 'Edwan Hospital in Beit Lahia. Jom'a was killed in armed clashes with IOF in al-Salatin area, west of Beit Lahia.

· Also at approximately 23:00 on Friday, IOF warplanes fired missiles at a number of Palestinian civilians near al-Khulafaa' Mosque in Jabalya refugee camp. One of the missiles hit a house belonging to 'Abdul Karim Abu Matar damaging it.

· At approximately 09:00 on Saturday, 10 January 2009, IOF artillery shelled al-Sikka Street to the east of Jabalya refugee camp. Thee Palestinian civilians were killed:

1. Daoud Ghanem Farah 'Assaliya, 37;

2. Ibrahim Ghanem Farah 'Assalia, 40; and

3. Ibrahim Mohammed Abu Humaidan, 60.

· At approximately 02:00 on Saturday, 10 January 2009, IOF warplanes bombarded an under-construction house near Abu al-Khair Mosque in Jabalya town. The house was partially destroyed.

· At approximately 02:10 on Saturday, IOF warplanes bombarded a house belonging to Hassan al-Kurdi in Block 2 in the southeast of Jabalya refugee camp. The house ws destroyed and a number of neighboring houses were damaged.

· Also at approximately 02:10 on Saturday, IOF warplanes bombarded a 3-storey house belonging to Zuhdi Khamis Abu 'Amsha in Gaza Street in the center of Beit Hanoun. As a result, 18 Palestinian civilians livening in neighboring houses were wounded.

· At approximately 03:30, IOF warplanes bombarded a market in Beit Lahia. A number of shops were destroyed and a number of houses were heavily damaged.

· At approximately 07:30, IOF warplane bombarded a 6-storey house belonging to Khaled Mohammed Hammas in Beit Lahia. The house and a neighboring one belonging to Fadel Hassan Safi were destroyed.

· Also at approximately 09:00 on Saturday, civil defense crews were able to extract the body of 16-year-ol Mohammed Jaber Mohammed 'Olayan from the debris of his house that was bombarded by IOF on Friday morning.

· At approximately 11:00 on Saturday, IOF tanks shelled the vicinity of al-Qerem Square in the southeast of Jabalya. As a result, Ahmed Mohammed ;Ouda al-Kurd, 30, was killed.

· At approximately 11:30 on Saturday, IOF troops positioned in 'Abed Rabbu Street in the east of Jabalya shot dead Mohammed Mustafa Hussein 'Eid, 19, with several gunshots to the head and the chest.

· At approximately 11:45 on Saturday, IOF tanks shells houses opposite to Jabalya Court. A shell hit a house belonging to Jouda 'Abed Rabu. As a result, 6 members of the 'Abed Rabbu family, including 2 children and a woman, and a member of the Hussein family were killed:

1. Hamed Mafouz 'Abed Rabbu, 17;

2. Yusri Mahmoud 'Abed Rabbu, 16;

3. Ramez Jamal 'Abed Rabbu, 38;

4. Mustafa Rebhi Hussein, 18;

5. Sami Mohammed Saleh 'Abed Rabbu, 25;

6. Randa Jamal 'Abed Rabbu, 45; and

7. Sufian 'Abdul Hai 'Abed Rabbu, 47.

· At approximately 12:00, IOF fired an artillery shell at the house of 'Emad Baba near Sa'ad al-Ansari Mosque in Beit Lahia town. As a result, An'am 'Abed Baba, 30, was killed and another 3 civilians were wounded.



Gaza City

· At approximately 13:0 on Friday, 9 January 2009, Sa'id Suleiman Sa'id al-Rawdi, 53, was killed when IOF fired an artillery shells at the vicinity of al-Ribat Mosque in the east of al-Zaytoun neighborhood.

· At approximately 16:30, IOF warplanes bombarded a 4-storey house belonging to Mohammed Yousef Dababesh, in which 30 people live, in Sheikh Radwan neighborhood in the north of Gaza City. The house was destroyed.

· At approximately 17:00, IOF warplanes bombarded Arafat police compound (al-Jawazat). As a result, Sha'ban Mohammed Sha'ban Mushataha, 22, a policeman, was killed. The compound had been repeatedly shelled during the ongoing offensive on the Gaza Strip.

· At approximately 19:00 on Friday, an IOF warplane bombarded the roof of al-Jawhara building in al-Jalaa; Street. A number of journalists of Media Group Company were on the roof. Manar Shulail Shalloula, 25, a producer of the Saudi News Channel, was lightly wounded by shrapnel to the head.

· At approximately 19:30 on Friday, an IOF warplane bombarded an uninhabited 2-storey house belonging to the Nassar familu in al-Shati refugee camp, west of Gaza City.

· At approximately 20:20 on Friday, 'Ammar Saleem al-Kayal, 35, was killed, when IOF shelled a house belonging to the 'Abdul 'Aal family in al-Tuffah neighborhood.

· At approximately 20:30 on Friday, an IOF warplane bombarded a flat belonging to Mohammed Abu al-So'ud, 30, on the 11th floor in al-Soussi apartment building in the center of Gaza City. Abu al-So'ud was moderately wounded.

· At approximately 22:00 on Friday, Ramez Mohammed Abu al-Khair, 29, was killed near his house in al-Mentar Street in al-Shoja'eya neighborhood when IOF shelled the area.

· Also at approximately 22:00 on Friday, 'Alaa' Hammad Murtaja, 26, a correspondent of the local al-Buraq Radio, was killed when IOF shelled his house in the east of al-Zaytoun neighborhood.

· At approximately 23:00 on Friday, Rasheed Mohammed Duhair, 22, died of wounded he had sustained on 8 January 2009 when IOF shelled his house in al-Shoja'eya neighborhood in the east of Gaza City. Two of Duhair's brothers were also killed in the attack.

· At approximately 00:30 on Saturday, 10 January 2009, Ayman Jameel Mohammed Yassin, 18, died of wounds he had sustained on 8 January 2009 when IOF shelled houses near Abu Bakr Mosque in al-Zaytoun neighborhood in the east of Gaza City.

· At approximately 01:00 on Saturday, 10 January 2009, IOF warplanes bombarded a store of iron and construction raw materials belonging to 'Abdul Basset 'Abdul Fattah 'Abdul 'Aal, 40, in al-Nasser neighborhood in the north of Gaza City.

· At approximately 06:00 on Saturday, IOF fired an artillery shell at a 4-storey house belonging to Sameer Sa'ad Khalida, 39, in which 5 families counting 40 people live. No casualties were reported.

· At approximately 07:00 on Saturday, IOF warplanes bombarded a 2-storey house belonging to Sa'id Mohammed Abu Matar, 51, in Sheikh Radwan neighborhood in the north of Gaza City. As a result, Mar and his on, 26-year-old Mazen, were killed, and another two members of the family, including a child, were wounded.

· At the same time, the bodies of Shams 'Omar 'Omar, 22, from al-Shati refugee camp, and Jawad Mahmoud al-Hessi, 35, were brought to Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. The two were killed when IOF shelled al-Sudaniya area, northwest of Gaza City.



Central Gaza Strip

· At approximately 11:40 on Friday, 9 January 2009, an IOF drone fired a missile at al-Furqan Mosque in al-Heker area in Deir al-Balah. The mosque was damaged.

· At approximately 18:30 on Friday, an IOF warplane bombarded a 4-storey house belonging to Ramdan Salama al-Balbissi, 47, in which 5 families counting 30 people live, in al-Nussairat refugee camp. As a result, 23 Palestinian civilians, including 6 children and 4 women, were wounded and the houses was destroyed. Additionally, a number of neighboring houses and al-Furqan Mosque were damaged.

· At approximately 20:30 on Friday, an IOF warplane fired a missile at a number of resistance activists in Abu Marahil Street in al-Nussairat refugee camp. As a result, Ibrahim Mahmoud Wishah, 32, a resistance activist, was killed and 2 others were wounded. Soon after, an IOF warplane bombarded a space land belonging to the Abu Fayadh family in the area. No casualties were reported.

· On Friday evening, 8 Palestinian civilians, including 4 children an a woman, were admitted into al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah, as they were wounded by IOF tanks that had moved into al-Mughraqa village and Juhor al-Dik area.

· Over night and this morning, IOF warplanes bombarded open areas in the central Gaza Strip.



Khan Yunis:

· At approximately 12:30 on Friday, 9 January 2009, IOF warplanes bombarded the vicinity of Khuza'a Martyrs School. As a result, 2 passing women were lightly wounded

· Also at approximately 12:30 on Friday, IOF warplanes bombarded an open area in 'Abassan village. Two Palestinian civilians were wounded.

· At approximately 18:00, IOF warplanes bombarded greenhouses near Khuza'a Martyrs School. No casualties were reported.

· At approximately 22:15, IOF warplanes targeted a number of resistance activists in al-Qarara village. Jihad Hussein al-Sumairi, 24, was killed and 3 others were wounded.

· At approximately 22:40, IOF warplanes bombarded a building that used to serve as a sewing workshop to the north of the security compound in Khan Yunis for the second time in 24 hours. The building was extensively destroyed, but no casualties were reported.

· At approximately 08:30 on Saturday, 10 January 2009, IOF warplanes bombarded the northern fence of Gaza European Hospital. Parts of the fence and, water supplies, the electricity network, an electricity generator and fuel tanks were destroyed. A staff member of the hospital was shocked and patients were extremely terrified.



Rafah

· At approximately 11:15 on Friday, 9 January 2009, IOF heavy military vehicles moved hundreds of meters into al-Shouka village, east of Rafah. They demolished 13 houses belonging to the Mo'ammar and Abu Sunaima families. They withdrew from the area at approximately 16:30.

· Also at approximately 11:15, IOF warplanes bombarded agricultural areas in Taha Hussein Street in the northwest of Rafah. They bombarded these areas again and again at 18:05, 18:40 and 19:30.

· At approximately 16:40, an IOF drone bombarded a 5-storey apartment building belonging to Sa'ad al-Sha'er, in which 8 families counting 25 people live, in al-Brazil neighborhood in the south of Rafah.

· At approximately 17:00, IOF warplanes bombarded tunnels along the Egyptian border, south of Rafah.

· At approximately 18:30, IOF warplanes bombarded a store of feeds belonging to 'Aatef Timraz in al-salam neighborhood in the south of Rafah.

· At approximately 19:50, IOF warplanes bombarded agricultural areas in al-Junaina neighborhood in the northeast of Rafah.

· At approximately 00:10 on Saturday, 10 January 2009, IOF warplanes bombarded a house belonging to the Abu Julaidan family in al-Salam neighborhood in the south of Rafah. The house was destroyed.

· At approximately 08:15, an IOF drone bombarded a 4-storey house belonging to Adham 'Abdul Rahim Farawana, a member of the 'Izziddin al-Qassam Brigades of Hamas, in which 4 families counting 27 people live, in al-Salam neighborhood in the south of Rafah. Ten minutes later, an IOF warplane bombarded and destroyed the house.

In light of the crimes committed by IOF against the Palestinian civilian population and civilian objects in the Gaza Strip, 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 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.
Warns that the lives of Palestinian civilians are endangered in light of threats vowed by Israeli political and military officials to expand military operations against the population of the Gaza Strip.
Calls upon the international community to immediately intervene to stop such crimes, and calls upon the High Contracting Parties to the Geneva Convention, Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, to fulfill their obligation under article 1 of the Convention to ensure respect for the Convention in all circumstances, as well as their obligation under article 146 to search for and prosecute those who are responsible for perpetrating grave breaches of the Convention, as such breaches constitute war crimes according to article 147 of the Convention and the Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and Relating to the Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts (Protocol I).


http://www.pchrgaza.org/files/PressR/English/2008/09-2009.html

Global protests condemn Gaza war

Global protests condemn Gaza war


Police blocked protesters in Nairobi from reaching the Israeli embassy [Reuters]


More than 50,000 Egyptian have protested in the city of Alexandria against Israel's assault on Gaza, one of many held across the world as the conflict enters its 14th consecutive day.

Demonstrators in Egypt, led by parliamentarians allied to the opposition Muslim Brotherhood, chanted slogans condemning the war and the failure of Arab nations to tackle the crisis.

"Down with Israel, and with it every collaborator," protesters chanted after Friday prayers.

Others shouted: "Gaza excuse us: opening Rafah is not in our hands," referring to the border crossing between the strip and Egypt which Cairo has refused to open despite the deaths of more than 780 Palestinians.

An AFP news agency reporter said riot police had tried to prevent the protest going ahead but gave up because of the number of demonstrators.

In the Jordanian capital Amman, security forces stopped protesters carrying Palestinian and Jordanian flags from marching to the Israeli embassy.

The protesters chanted "no Israel embassy on Arab territory" and "Arab rulers are cowards".

No clashes were reported although objects were thrown at riot police.

Egypt and Jordan are the only Arab nations with diplomatic relations with Israel.

Both Sunni and Shia Muslim worshippers in Baghdad staged rallies condemning the offensive following Friday prayer services.

West bank clashes

Angry Palestinian protesters have also clashed with Israeli police in the occupied West Bank.

Israel had placed the West Bank on a 48-hour lockdown, prohibiting movement into and out of the Palestinian territory until Saturday except in emergency cases.

In Kenya, police used water cannons and tear gas in an attempt to disperse hundreds of people who had gathered outside Nairobi's Jamea mosque to express their soldarity with the Palestinians of Gaza.

"No to shedding innocent blood," "End the massacre in Gaza," and "Israel, stop killing innocent people," read some of the placards.

The protestors tried to march towards the Israeli embassy in the centre of the Kenyan capital, but were stopped by a heavy security deployment.

Six people were injured and 31 were arrested when 1,000 pro-Palestinian protesters attacked a pro-Israeli demonstration in Oslo, police said on Friday.

During the clashes, considered to be the worst in more than two decades in the Norwegian capital, anti-Israel protesters threw Molotov cocktails, rocks and eggs and burned Israeli flags, Johan Fredriksen of the Oslo police said.

Police were also on high alert in Greece, where protests against the Israeli offensive have been planned.

Boycott call

In Malaysia and Italy, critics of Israel's Gaza assault have called for a boycott of Israeli and US goods.

"We cannot remain silent about what is happening in Gaza. We had thought of drawing up a list of businessmen who have links with Tel Aviv because people do not know who they are," Giancarlo Desiderati, a member of a small group of Italian traders who called for the boycott on its website, said.

At least 5,000 people protested outside the US embassy in Malaysia on Friday, and around 300 held a noisy protest outside the National Mosque in Kuala Lumpur to urge Arab countries to cut off oil supplies to the US and boycott goods from Coca-Cola, Colgate and Starbucks.

Addressing the crowd, Mahathir Mohamed, a former prime minister, told Malaysians that they "will not die if they do not use the US goods" and urged those working for US companies such as fast-food giant McDonalds to quit their jobs.

"I hope Starbucks and McDonald's employees will stop working there," he said.

Coca-Cola officials said any boycott would only hurt the local economy and its citizens.

Source: Agencies
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2009/01/200919123947912684.html