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: JURIST - The Paper Chase

Rights group accuses Israel of war crimes through white phosphorous use

By Bernard Hibbitts (editor) and University of Pittsburgh School of Law students.

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[JURIST] A fact finding team for human rights group Amnesty International (AI) on Monday accused Israel of war crimes, citing the use of white phosphorous in the midst of a dense civilian population. White phosphorous is a highly explosive substance that can burn into human skin and muscle and can cause serious wounds as well as death. The fact finding team found still-burning particles of the substance near residential buildings and in streets and alleyways. Israel has maintained that all the weapons employed during their three-week siege in Gaza are within the scope of what is allowed by international law. Both the UN and Human Rights Watch (HRW) have already called for Israel to stop firing white phosphorus shells in Gaza. AI has said that Israel's continued use of the substance despite awareness of its effects constitutes a war crime. Last week, International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo said that the ICC has no jurisdiction to investigate possible war crimes committed by Israel in Gaza. Moreno-Ocampo's statement came after calls by the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) for the UN Security Council to refer Israel to the ICC for an investigation. Moreno-Ocampo said the court currently lacks jurisdiction over Israel because it is not a member state.

Full post as published by JURIST - The Paper Chase on January 20, 2009 (boomark / email).