Qana raid may fit violations
2006-08-08 07:25
United Nations - Israel's deadly attack on the Lebanese village of Qana could be part of "a pattern of violations of international law" in the Israel-Hezbollah war, the UN chief said in a report released on Monday.
UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan highlighted the heavy civilian toll in Lebanon and Israel when he called for a fuller investigation into the July 30 bombardment which killed at least 28 civilians dead, including 16 children.
"The attack on Qana should be seen in the broader context of what could be, based on preliminary information available to the United Nations, including eyewitness accounts, a pattern of violations of international law, including international humanitarian law and international human rights law, committed during the course of the current hostilities," Annan said.
Death toll
More than 1 000 Lebanese have been killed in the war since hostilities erupted on July 12. The United Nations estimates that one third of the victims are children.
In Israel, 36 civilians and 61 soldiers have been reported killed from Hezbollah rocket attacks and other incidents.
Israel blames Hezbollah
Israel said in a statement to the United Nations for Annan's report that Qana, which is near the frontier with Israel, was a base for Hezbollah "terrorists" and that it had warned residents in leaflets and radio broadcasts of its intention to attack.
"Qana is the centre of Hezbollah's regional headquarters. It contains extensive weapons stockpiles, serves as a haven for fleeing terrorists, and is the source of over 150 missiles launched into northern Israel," said a letter from the Israeli mission to the United Nations to Annan.
"While regretting the civilian casualties of this operation, Israel blames Hezbollah for manipulating and using innocent Lebanese civilians as human shields," it added.
Qana attack 'a war crime'
Lebanon, in its declaration, called the attack "a war crime" and said that other bodies may still be under the rubble.
According to the Lebanese government's account for the UN report, in the early hours of July 30 a house in Qana collapsed under the impact of one direct hit by a missile fired by an Israeli jet and another that landed nearby.
The civilians from two families were said to be hiding in the basement.
The Lebanese statement said that "none of the bodies recovered showed that there were militants mingled among the civilians, and the rescuers found no weapons in the building that was struck."
Appeal to Israel, Hezbollah
The UN security council expressed "extreme shock and distress" in a statement released on the same day as the attack, which was first reported to have killed more than 50 civilians. It ordered Anan to produce a report within seven days.
Annan in his report made a new appeal to Israel and Hezbollah "to respect their obligations under international humanitarian law".
"The effects of the current conflict on civilians in Lebanon and Israel rise to a level of seriousness that requires further gathering of information, including violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law."
He added that he supports calls for "a more comprehensive investigation" into Qana.