Page 18 - Jewish News _August 2021_

18A August 2021 FEDERATION NEWS

Was Israel’s defense against Hamas’ massive

rocket attack a war crime under international law?

By David Millstone
etween May 10 and May 21, the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in 91 (36%) were killed by Hamas’ Did Israel violate international hu-
Hamas launched over 4,000 Jerusalem. The issue is a legal dis- rockets that never left Gaza. manitarian laws when it destroyed
Brockets at Israel. Rockets were pute that has been under consider- ‹ Israel engaged in extensive notice the al-Jalaa building which housed
launched indiscriminately at Israeli ci- ation in the Israeli courts for years. before bombing, through texting, international media outlets like
vilian population centers and civilian ‹ Hamas has an ideological reason cellular calls and “roof knocking,” Al-Jazeera and the Associated Press?
targets. Israel responded with multiple for starting the war – its Covenant giving civilians sufficient time No.
bombing and artillery attacks against to get safely away. ‹ Hamas housed its intelligence op-
Hamas, focusing on military targets Robert and Esther Heller (Roof knocking is a erations in al-Jalaa and used the
and combatants. Thirteen Israelis procedure where an building for electronic operations
onnect
onnect
were killed during the attacks and 256 CRC explosive charge is to jam Iron Dome radars. Where
Gazans were listed as killed. Israel was dropped that will not there is a military target present, it
accused of starting the war. In addition, cause damage and is permissible for a combatant to
multiple charges of war crimes were warns occupants that attack the facility with certain lim-
made against Israel including: a strike will follow.) itations.
‹ Targeting civilians calls for the destruction of Israel ‹ In instances where Israeli pilots ‹ In this case, Israel gave advance
‹ Using disproportionate force as a Jewish state. Its large rocket physically observed civilians or warnings. No civilians were
‹ Targeting journalists reserves were collected for one children in the area, strikes were harmed.
Did Israel start the May 2021 war reason and one reason only – to at- aborted on multiple occasions. Conclusion
with Hamas? tack Israel. (Even after firing over Did Israel use disproportionate force Just as in prior operations, Israel
No. 4,300 rockets at Israel, Hamas still as evidenced by 256 Gazans being complied with international human-
‹ Hamas started the confrontation by has more than 10,000 rockets in its killed versus 13 Israelis? itarian laws in its operations. Its tar-
firing rockets at Jerusalem and oth- reserves.) They are supported by No. gets were military. Advance warnings
er civilian population centers. Iran. The attack on Israel was co- ‹ At least 104 deaths (91 Palestinian were given to civilians. Hamas vio-
‹ Hamas tried to place the blame on ordinated with other Iranian proxy and 13 Israeli) can be attributed to lated international humanitarian laws
Israel, claiming it was defending attacks in May in Iraq (against U.S. Hamas rocket attacks as compared by attacking from densely populated
the al-Aqsa Mosque, one of the troops) and from Yemen (against to 165 from Israeli strikes. areas, using human shields, and storing
holiest sites in Islam, from Israel’s Saudi Arabia). ‹ Israel defended its population with weapons and operating in and around
alleged efforts to destroy it. Israel Did Israel target civilians, commit- the Iron Dome system and has ex- civilian facilities.
has never tried to destroy al-Aqsa. ting a war crime in violation of inter- tensive shelters available. Hamas For more detailed information and
After recapturing the Old City in national humanitarian law? has chosen to spend its money on original source material, please visit
1967, Israel handed administrative No. offensive weapons and attack tun- the Federation website at jfedsrq.org/
control over al-Aqsa and the Dome ‹ Of the 256 Gazans listed as killed, nels rather than civil defense to crconnect.
of the Rock to Jordan while main- over half were either Hamas or Is- protect its citizens. Any opinions expressed in this article
taining security control. lamic Jihad terrorists or combat- ‹ Hamas used human shields and are those of the author and not nec-
‹ Hamas also blamed Israel by ants. stored and fired rockets from loca- essarily those of The Jewish News or
claiming it was protecting Pales- ‹ Of the 256 Gazans listed as killed, it tions near and in schools, hospitals The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-
tinians from being evicted from is conservatively estimated at least and other civilian facilities. Manatee.

PRESENTED BY MARDEN PARU
Dean, Sarasota Liberal Yeshiva

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