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topicnews · October 16, 2024

Israel’s attacks on medics in Lebanon are a “war crime” – Euro-Med Rights Monitor

Israel’s attacks on medics in Lebanon are a “war crime” – Euro-Med Rights Monitor

An Israeli attack targeted an ambulance in Lebanon. (Photo: via social media)

By Palestine Chronicle Staff

Israel’s attacks in Lebanon “follow the same pattern as in Gaza, raising the possibility that aid trucks will be directly and repeatedly attacked under false pretenses and pretexts in the future.”

Israel’s “clear and persistent pattern” of targeting aid and ambulance teams in Lebanon constitutes a serious violation of international law, particularly international humanitarian law, the Geneva-based Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor said.

According to the human rights organization, at least 120 medical and aid workers have been killed in direct attacks on ambulances and aid workers since the start of the latest escalation of Israeli attacks on Lebanon.

“Without evidence, an Israeli army spokesman recently justified attacks on medics and their vehicles in various parts of Lebanon by claiming they were transporting “saboteurs and weapons,” Euro-Med said in its latest report on Tuesday.

Four paramedics injured

On Sunday morning, Israeli forces attacked a Red Cross aid convoy in the southern city of Sarbin, wounding four volunteer medics, the organization said.

The attack came after the Israeli army attacked a house in Sarbin with an initial airstrike and then targeted the same location with a second airstrike after the Red Cross convoy arrived to search for the injured, it said.

There were two ambulances damaged involved in the attack, according to the Lebanese Red Cross.

“This attack took place despite the Red Cross having previously agreed to visit the site together with UNIFIL,” emphasized Euro-Med, the United Nations peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon.

Auxiliary trucks in sight

On Monday, Israeli forces also targeted two aid trucks traveling through the Ras Baalbek area, the human rights group noted.

“The trucks flew the Red Cross flag after receiving UN approval to deliver aid,” it said, citing official Lebanese sources.

The bombing smashed The organization said it broke the windows of the trucks and injured one of the drivers.

Israeli attacks in Lebanon “follow the same pattern as in the Gaza Strip, which increases the possibility that aid trucks will be directly and repeatedly attacked under false pretenses and pretexts in the future,” Euro-Med stressed.

Roman Statute

According to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, the human rights organization stated: “Attacks on medical facilities and transport vehicles that use the identifying symbols listed in the Geneva Conventions in accordance with international law – including the emblems of the Red Cross.” E.g. the attack on personnel, facilities , materials, units or vehicles used in a humanitarian assistance mission constitute war crimes within the meaning of the Rome Statute.”

Euro-Med also highlighted that Article 35 of the First Geneva Convention and Article 21 of the Fourth Geneva Convention “both require the protection of medical transport.”

Article 21 of Additional Protocol I expanded the scope of this obligation to include civilian medical transport in addition to military medical transport in all circumstances, the organization said, adding that this is supported by Rule 29 of customary international humanitarian law, which requires medical transport to be used only for medical transport must always be respected and protected.

“Stop Israel’s Crimes”

The international community “must therefore fulfill its obligations to uphold and implement both international humanitarian law and human rights,” Euro-Med said.

“It must put an end to Israel’s serious crimes against unarmed civilians in both the Gaza Strip and Lebanon, including the targeted attacks on ambulances and relief teams transporting and evacuating the wounded, and ensure freedom of passage for all medical and humanitarian missions.”

“Targeting civilians and obstructing the delivery of aid and assistance to them indicates an intention to specifically kill people who are not involved in combat and military operations,” the human rights organization said.

Since the start of Israel’s war on Gaza on October 7, the Lebanese movement Hezbollah has participated directly, albeit in a relatively limited manner, in the war against the Israeli occupation.

But fighting has increased in intensity in recent weeks, leading to fears that an all-out war between Hezbollah and the Israeli army is imminent.

Israel has occupied parts of Lebanon for decades and only left the country in 2000 after fierce Lebanese resistance led by Hezbollah.

Israel attempted to reoccupy Lebanon in 2006 but failed in what Lebanon sees as a major victory against Israel.

However, Israel continues to occupy parts of Lebanon, particularly the Sheeba Farms region.

Hezbollah has vowed to reclaim every inch of Lebanon that was occupied by Israel in violation of international law.

(The Palestine Chronicle)

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