On Friday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken delivered a highly anticipated report to Congress. The report accused Israeli forces of potentially violating international humanitarian law. However, it did not formally find they had already done so.
The report states that though there are allegations that Israel violated international humanitarian law during the period covered by the report, Jan. 1, 2023 through late April of this year, the U.S. doesn’t have “complete information” on whether U.S. weapons were used in those actions. Its authors cite the difficulty of determining facts on the ground in an active war zone as well as Hamas’s use of civilian infrastructure for military purposes.
“Nevertheless, given Israel’s significant reliance on U.S.-made defense articles, it is reasonable to assess that defense articles…have been used by Israeli security forces since October 7 in instances inconsistent with its [international humanitarian law] obligations or with established best practices for mitigating civilian harm,” the report adds.
Though it finds that Israel “did not fully cooperate” with the U.S. government in the initial months after Oct. 7 to maximize the flow of humanitarian aid, the report notes a “substantial increase” in its efforts more recently.
The US commentary on Israel’s weapon deployment raises concerns about Israel weapons violation. Notably, questions arise regarding the proportionality and necessity of Israel’s military actions. Furthermore, scrutiny intensifies amid reports of civilian casualties and infrastructural damage.
In response to the Israel weapons violation accusation, Israel has defended its actions. However, skepticism remains regarding the justification provided.
Moreover, international pressure is mounting for transparency and accountability from Israel. Ultimately, resolving the issue requires diplomatic dialogue and adherence to international legal standards.
read more
image source
