Amnesty International Calls for United Nations Inquiry into War Crimes by Hezbollah and Israel

Amnesty International today condemned both Hezbollah and Israel for not taking any steps to prosecute war crimes and other grave violations that occurred during the 34-day war between Hezbollah and Israel. Amnesty International investigated violations of humanitarian law and war crimes both during and after the war. Amnesty International claims that both Hezbollah and Israeli troops were in violation of humanitarian law. Amnesty International published their findings in three reports released last year.

Amnesty International is calling on the United Nations to launch an investigation into violations of international law by both Hezbollah and Israel. Amnesty International wants to make sure that both parties are held accountable and have to pay reparation for the victims of the incidents. The rest of the international community has not been willing to take the necessary steps to launch such an investigation.

The United Nations Security Council did launch a tribunal to prosecute those responsible for assassinating former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. The investigations into Israel military conduct focused on military strategy and not violations of humanitarian law. No official investigation has been conducted in Lebanon. An investigation mandated by the United Nations Human Rights Council was a one-sided mandate that only focused on evidence of violations by Israeli military forces.

Many people were killed or injured in southern Lebanon as a result of cluster bombs, launched by the Israeli military primarily during the last 72 hours of the conflict after the ceasefire had been agreed on by both parties, but before the ceasefire took effect. According to the United Nations Mine Action Coordination Center, from the time of the ceasefire up until June 20, 2007 32 people including 24 civilians and eight de-miners were killed and 210 people were injured in southern Lebanon as a result of the 922 sites where unexploded cluster munitions lie.

Amnesty International is calling on the Israeli military to turn over maps containing the locations where cluster bombs were used. Amnesty International is also calling on Hezbollah to give information on the two Israeli soldiers captured by Hezbollah during the war. Amnesty International is urging the United Nations Security Council to declare and enforce an arms embargo on both Hezbollah and Israel until mechanisms are in place to prevent any violations of humanitarian law.