VARIOUS: Human Rights Watch says Hezbollah used cluster munitions against Israel in recent conflict

Record ID: 356938

  • Title: VARIOUS: Human Rights Watch says Hezbollah used cluster munitions against Israel in recent conflict
  • Date: 20th October 2006
  • Summary: (AM) MAJDAL SELEM, LEBANON (AUGUST 22, 2006) (REUTERS) MEN WALKING IN FIELD WHERE CLUSTER MUNITIONS HAD LANDED UNEXPLODED CLUSTER MUNITION OR "BOMBLET" LYING ON GROUND UNEXPLODED CLUSTER MUNITION IN SOIL
  • Embargoed: 4th November 2006 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVAAKD0CQK0VQM041AE3RMRW71AQ
  • Story Text: Lebanese Hezbollah guerrillas fired cluster rockets into civilian areas of northern Israel during the recent war, Human Rights Watch said in a report on Thursday (October 19, 2006).
    Human Rights Watch Arms Division Executive Director Stephen Goose said it was the first time his group has documented use of the controversial weapon by Hezbollah militants.
    "Human Rights Watch researchers were in Israel doing ongoing research about Hezbollah attacks, rocket attacks on Israel during the conflict in July and August, and we were surprised to discover that in addition to a range of other types of rockets that Hezbollah had used cluster munition rockets. This is the first known use of cluster munitions by Hezbollah, and one of the very few we know of - of non-state armed groups using this very controversial weapon," Goose told Reuters.
    Israel has itself been condemned by the New York-based group and other campaigners for its use of cluster bombs during the 34-day conflict. Thousands of cluster sub-munitions litter fields and areas across Lebanon, endangering civilian populations, Goose said. Israel denies using the weapons illegally.
    "We think that cluster munitions are the weapons system that's most in need of international regulation or prohibition. They cause unacceptable dangers to civilians both at the time of attack because they're wide area weapons. They disperse over a very wide area - a football field or even a bigger area - almost guaranteeing that if you use them anywhere near a populated area, you're going to have civilian casualties. But in addition to that danger during the time of attack, they also leave behind hazardous duds - it's kind of an odd phrase. In essence, the submunitions that drop out a cluster munition are supposed to explode on impact, but many do not. They're used in such large numbers that even if you have a relatively small failure rate, you end up with very large numbers of these duds, that in fact like little land mines," Goose said.
    A recent report by land mine activists identified 770 sites hit by cluster bombs in southern Lebanon before the ceasefire began on Aug. 14.
    Human Rights Watch said it had been told by Israeli police of more than 100 documented cases of cluster rocket strikes within Israel.
    Human Rights Watch said the cluster munitions used by Hezbollah appeared to be Chinese-made 122 mm rockets, each one carrying 39 submunitions capable of shooting out hundreds of ball bearings.
    "We think that both Israel and Hezbollah likely violated international humanitarian law with their use of cluster munitions. In fact, on both sides it appears there was deliberate targeting of civilian areas. That's a violation whether you're using a cluster munition or not, but the danger to civilians is enhanced when you use a cluster munition because of the long-term dangers of the duds and because of the wide area effect. But we think that most uses of cluster munitions are going to constitute a violation of international humanitarian law when the humanitarian harm exceeds the military utility," Goose told Reuters.
    Nearly 1,200 people in Lebanon, mostly civilians, and 157 Israelis, mostly soldiers, were killed during the fighting.
    Hezbollah has made no immediate comment regarding the Human Rights Watch report.
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