Israel: Use of Cluster Bombs in Lebanon Was Legal

Israeli military prosecutors have decided not to take any legal action over Israel”s use of cluster bombs during last year”s offensive on Lebanon, a long awaited army investigation said on Monday.

 

The probe determined that the use of the weapons, which open in flight and scatter dozens of bomblets, was a “concrete military necessity” and did not violate international humanitarian law.

 

The practice during the July-August war in 2006 has drawn heavy criticism from the United Nations and international human rights groups which have accused Israel of dropping about four million cluster bomblets on south Lebanon.

 

They say as many as one million bomblets failed to explode and now endanger civilians. More than 30 people

have been killed by cluster bomb and landmine explosions since the 34-day war.

 

In a statement, the army said its chief investigator, Maj.-Gen. Gershon HaCohen, determined “it was clear that the majority of the cluster munitions were fired at open and uninhabited areas, areas from which Hizbullah forces operated and in which no civilians were present.”

 

It said cluster bombs were fired at residential areas only “as an immediate defense response to rocket attacks by Hizbullah” and that Israeli troops did everything possible to minimize civilian casualties.

 

Whenever firing cluster bombs, Israeli forces were “respecting the laws of armed conflict …. and preserving the ethical values” of the Israeli military, the statement said.

 

“The use of this weaponry was legal once it was determined that, in order to prevent rocket fire onto Israel, its use was a concrete military necessity,” the statement added.

 

The conclusions were passed on to the military”s advocate general, Brig.-Gen. Avihai Mendelblit, who accepted the recommendation and decided not to press charges.

 

The investigation was launched following the war and was due to be published in August but was postponed after extra submissions were requested.

 

Picture: (A cluster bomb is seen in the yard of a house in the southern Lebanese village of Sultaniyeh in 2006. Israel”s use of cluster bombs in last year”s war against Hezbollah was legal and conformed to international conventions, a long awaited army investigation said on Monday).
(AFP/File/Thomas Coex)