Israel Violating Human Rights In Gaza: US Officials
- By Thetripurapost Desk, Washington
- Apr 28, 2024
- 15
Some senior US officials have advised Secretary of State Antony Blinken that they do not find Israel's assurances that it is using US-supplied weapons in accordance with international humanitarian law. This revelation has come to light through the leaking of an internal document of the US State Department. However, other officials maintained support for Israel's representation. Under a National Security Memorandum (NSM) signed by President Joe Biden in February, Blinken must report to Congress by May 8 on whether he finds Israel's assurances credible that the use of US weapons would violate US or international law.
As of March 24, at least seven State Department bureaus have sent Blinken their views in the Options Memo. These memos were not previously reported. The memos provide the most comprehensive picture yet of the division within the State Department over whether Israel may be violating international humanitarian law in Gaza. A US official said, "Some components of the department supported accepting Israel's assurances, some supported rejecting them and some took no position."
There appears to be a rift in relations between Israel and America over the Gaza war. An internal memo received by the US State Department states that Israel is violating international laws in Gaza. In such a situation, its access to American weapons should be restricted.
Some senior US officials have advised Secretary of State Antony Blinken that they do not find Israel's assurances that it is using US-supplied weapons in accordance with international humanitarian law. This revelation has come to light through the leaking of an internal document of the US State Department. However, other officials maintained support for Israel's representation. Under a National Security Memorandum (NSM) signed by President Joe Biden in February, Blinken must report to Congress by May 8 on whether he finds Israel's assurances credible that the use of US weapons would violate US or international law. does not do.
As of March 24, at least seven State Department bureaus have sent Blinken their views in the Options Memo. These memos were not previously reported. The memos provide the most comprehensive picture yet of the division within the State Department over whether Israel may be violating international humanitarian law in Gaza. A US official said, "Some components of the department supported accepting Israel's assurances, some supported rejecting them and some took no position."
A joint submission from the four bureaus – Democracy Human Rights and Labour; Population, Refugees and Migration; Global Criminal Justice and International Organization Affairs – expressed "serious concern over non-compliance" with international humanitarian law during Israel's prosecution of the Gaza War. The four bureaus' assessments stated that Israel's assurances "were neither credible nor credible." It cited eight examples of Israeli military actions that officials said raise "serious questions" about possible violations of international humanitarian law.
These included repeated attacks on protected sites and civilian infrastructure. Taking little action to investigate violations or hold those responsible for significant civilian damage and "the killing of humanitarian workers and journalists at an unprecedented rate." The four bureaus' assessment also cites 11 examples of Israeli military actions. Officials said humanitarian aid was "arbitrarily restricted", including rejecting entire truckloads of aid due to a "dual-use" item, and "artificial" limits on inspections. Repeated attacks on humanitarian sites that should not be hit.
The Bureau of Political and Military Affairs, which deals with US military assistance and arms transfers, warned Blinken in another presentation of the memo that suspending US arms embargoes Israel's ability to deal with potential threats outside its airspace. will be limited and Washington will need to act again. The bureau said in its presentation that any suspension of US arms sales would invite "provocation" by Iran and allied militias, reflecting infighting within the department as it prepares to report to Congress.
A second US official said input from the Office of the Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism and a memo from US Ambassador to Israel Jack Lew said he considered Israel's assurances credible and trustworthy. The State Department's legal bureau, known as the Office of Legal Counsel, "took no firm position" on the credibility of Israel's assurances, a source familiar with the matter said. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said the agency does not comment on leaked documents. "On complex issues, the secretary often hears a variety of views from within the department, and he takes all of those views into account," Miller said.