The tens of thousands of civilian fatalities, the millions of displaced people and the enormous damage to civilian infrastructure in Gaza have led the US State Department to issue a report highly critical of Israel’s use of weapons provided by Washington. Despite this, he avoids saying openly that the Government of Benjamin Netanyahu has avoided concluding in a report for Congress that Israel has violated international or US laws in the Gaza war. It remains that some episodes raise serious concerns in this regard.
“Given the nature of the conflict in Gaza, with Hamas seeking to hide behind civilian populations and infrastructure and expose them to Israeli military action, as well as the lack of US government personnel on the ground in Gaza, it is difficult to assess or reach conclusive conclusions about specific incidents. However, given Israel’s significant dependence on US-made defense items, it is reasonable to consider that Israeli security forces have since October 7 used defense items covered by the NSM-20 standard in cases incompatible with their obligations in matter of international humanitarian law or with the best practices established to mitigate harm to civilians,” the report states.
The document explains that possible violations are being investigated, but notes that the United States “does not have complete information to verify” whether American weapons “were specifically used” in alleged violations of international humanitarian law, although it is “reasonable to consider” that they have been used in a manner “inconsistent” with international legislation.
The release of the report comes at a delicate time in relations between the United States and Israel. It comes just two days after US President Joe Biden publicly warned that he will not deliver new bombs, artillery shells and other offensive weapons to Israel if it goes ahead with plans for a large-scale ground operation in Rafah, southern Gaza. The United States has already stopped the shipment of 3,500 bombs for fear that the Israeli Army will use them in densely populated urban areas of Rafah and thus repeat the tragedy of civilian deaths and enormous destruction that the Israeli offensive has left in other areas of the Strip. .
Biden criticized Israel’s “indiscriminate bombings” months ago and admitted this week that the bombs delivered by the United States have caused the death of civilian victims. Despite this, the report measures its reproaches against Israel and does not cross the apparent red line of proclaiming that the traditional ally breaks international laws with the weapons that the Pentagon sends it.
The report on Israel is one of seven prepared by the State Department for delivery to Congress in which it rules on the use that many other countries in conflict make of the weapons that the United States gives them and also whether they impose illegal restrictions on the distribution of humanitarian aid to the civilian population. The obligation to issue these opinions was a concession by Biden to try to gain support from Democratic congressmen for the delivery of new aid to Israel. The president issued an order in February in this regard.
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The reports arrive somewhat late, since the deadline to publish them expired this Wednesday. Israel’s was the most anticipated. Recently, 88 Democratic congressmen sent a letter to Biden assuring that “there is sufficient evidence that Israel’s restrictions on the delivery of US-backed humanitarian aid” violated US law. Republicans, however, consider that the obligation to write these reports “adds unnecessary bureaucracy and contributes to the frustration of partners and allies.” His Foreign Affairs spokespersons in Congress put his position starkly in a letter to the president: “Although human rights are an important component of the national interest, American priorities are much broader, especially in an era of strategic competition.” ”.
Amnesty International USA stated in late April that Israel has used US-supplied weapons against Palestinian civilians in alleged violations of international law, which it detailed in a 19-page report. “Weapons supplied by the United States to the Government of Israel have been used in serious violations of international humanitarian and human rights law, and in a manner incompatible with US law and policy,” it said, calling for the immediate suspension of the transfer of weapons. weapons.
The report falls several steps behind. According to the digital media Axios, In recent weeks there has been a tug of war within the State Department itself over the content of the report on Israel and its conclusions. The Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor and USAID have recommended Secretary of State Antony Blinken conclude that Israel had violated the terms of the national security memorandum, but other parts of the department have pressured him to certify otherwise and have imposed, although with some concessions to the first block.
The biggest discussions have not focused on the use of weapons as such, and on the tens of thousands of civilian lives lost, but on the restrictions imposed on humanitarian aid, which have degraded the living conditions of more than two millions of Gazans.
[Noticia de última hora. Habrá ampliación en breve]
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