Hamas rocket attacks 'war crimes'

[dub]

The firing of rockets into Israel by Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip amounts to a war crime, a prominent human rights group has said.

Human Right Watch (HRW) said Hamas should "publicly renounce" the attacks and hold those responsible to account.

HRW said while it had also criticised Israel over its actions in Gaza, "violations by one party to a conflict never justify violations by the other".

A Hamas spokesman has dismissed the group's allegations as "biased".

The 31-page report, Rockets from Gaza, covers the period after November 2008, when Hamas and other militant groups resumed attacks after an Israeli incursion into Gaza.

Three Israeli civilians have been killed in such attacks and dozens injured, with some rockets hitting targets as far as 46km (28 miles) from the Gaza Strip.

HRW programme director Iain Levine said the attacks by Hamas were "unlawful and unjustifiable, and amount to war crimes".

"As the governing authority in Gaza, Hamas should publicly renounce rocket attacks on Israeli civilian centres and punish those responsible, including members of its own armed wing," he added.

it seems like any time a group is accused of committing war crimes by these human rights ogranizations, they right away dismiss the allegations as 'biased'.

both hamas and IDF do it.

[dub]

HRW also accuses Hamas of putting Palestinians at risk by launching attacks from built-up areas.

It said that although more people have been killed in Gaza than in Israel, "violations of the laws of war are not determined by the number of civilian casualties".

Hamas spokesman Ismail Ridwan was quoted by the Associated Press as saying the report was "biased".

"Hamas did not use human shields and did not fire rockets from residential areas," he said. "Hamas does not target civilians."

the hamas spokesman sounds a lot like the israeli spokesman.

always in denial.

[M.Dancer]

HRW also accuses Hamas of putting Palestinians at risk by launching attacks from built-up areas.

I wonder what the competing agency, AI will say, seeing they have absolved (ANd didn't dun absolve them too?) the terrorist of using human shields.

More importantly, how will this affect their fund raising?

[M.Dancer]

the hamas spokesman sounds a lot like the israeli spokesman.

always in denial.

"Hamas did not use human shields and did not fire rockets from residential areas," he said. "Hamas does not target civilians."

AI agrees with him. So do you.

[M.Dancer]

HRW said while it had also criticised Israel over its actions in Gaza, "violations by one party to a conflict never justify violations by the other".

Ever wonder why poison gas wasn't used in the second world war. I wonder if HRW knows...

[dub]

Ever wonder why poison gas wasn't used in the second world war. I wonder if HRW knows...

"violations by one party to a conflict never justify violations by the other"

so you accept HRW's report on hamas' war crimes but not their report on IDF's war crimes?

[dub]

I wonder what the competing agency, AI will say, seeing they have absolved (ANd didn't dun absolve them too?) the terrorist of using human shields.

More importantly, how will this affect their fund raising?

not sure what you're babbling about now.

Deliberately using civilians to deter attacks on military targets amounts to “human shielding,” which is a war crime[67] In the preceding cases, Human Rights Watch either could not determine or the evidence did not indicate that militants launched rockets from areas close to civilians with the intention of deterring Israeli forces from counter-attacking.

from the report.

how do you feel about HRW's report on israel's war crimes? is HRW another biased and anti-semite organization when they criticize israel?

[M.Dancer]

not sure what you're babbling about now.

Deliberately using civilians to deter attacks on military targets amounts to “human shielding,” which is a war crime[67] In the preceding cases, Human Rights Watch either could not determine or the evidence did not indicate that militants launched rockets from areas close to civilians with the intention of deterring Israeli forces from counter-attacking.

Seems like they changed their minds eh?

HRW also accuses Hamas of putting Palestinians at risk by launching attacks from built-up areas.

Who wil win the battle of the left wing guilt donation? Meally mouth AI or d'uh HRW?

[Bonam]

HRW also accuses Hamas of putting Palestinians at risk by launching attacks from built-up areas.

Therein lies the primary cause of the civilian casualties in Gaza.