Some violence is hidden

Updated A number of reports by internationally-respected human rights groups have accused Israel of violations of international law in its dealings with Palestinians in the occupied territories, to almost complete silence in the US media. But they keep on coming and the rest of the world (including significant numbers in Israel) notices even as we turn a blind eye and a deaf ear.

Jerusalem, October 18 - The Israeli armed forces have illegally razed thousands of homes, regardless of military necessity, to clear Palestinians from the Gaza-Egypt border and create a "buffer zone," Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. The Israeli government is calling for the destruction of hundreds more homes to widen the zone as part of a plan to "disengage" from the territory. ...

Human Rights Watch found the IDF [Israeli Defense Force] has made 16,000 people homeless over the past four years, regardless of whether their homes posed a genuine military threat.

According to international law, Israel as an occupying power may destroy civilian property only when "rendered absolutely necessary by military operations." Destroying property to improve the occupying power's general security or as a broad precaution against hypothetical threats is prohibited.

"Israel's conduct in southern Gaza stems from the assumption that every Palestinian is a suicide bomber and every home a base for attack," said Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch. "This policy of mass home destruction leads to serious violations of international humanitarian law meant to protect civilians."

The report focused on the southern Gaza town of Rafah and used interviews, satellite imagery, maps, graphs, and photographs to back up its charges. It noted that the IDF refers to tunnels that have been used to smuggle in arms from Egypt and acknowledges that this is a legitimate concern. However,

[i]n addition to exaggerating tunnel numbers, the IDF has apparently failed to explore well-established methods to detect and destroy tunnels — like seismic sensors, electromagnetic induction and ground-penetrating radar — which would obviate or reduce the need for IDF incursions into Rafah that have resulted in destroyed homes and sometimes loss of life. In some cases, the IDF destroyed groups of houses in order to "close" tunnels that Palestinian authorities had reportedly sealed.

The evidence, the group says, indicates the demolitions are for a political goal of creating a wide, empty buffer zone to facilitate long-term control over Gaza rather than any military necessity.

The report also documents Israel's extensive destruction of Rafah homes and infrastructure in May in apparent retribution for the killing of five IDF soldiers by Palestinian militants. Major IDF operations that month resulted in the destruction of over 200 homes, many of them deep inside the town away from the border. Armored bulldozers plowed through houses and shops, indiscriminately tore up roads, destroyed water and sewage systems, and turned two large agricultural fields into barren patches of earth. ...

In some cases, the destruction in areas away from the border took place after the IDF had secured the area, in a manner that was time-consuming, deliberate and comprehensive, rather than in the heat of battle.

The report also criticizes Caterpillar Inc., the company that produces the powerful D9 bulldozers the IDF uses.

Human Rights Watch called on Caterpillar to suspend sales of D9 bulldozers, parts or maintenance services to the IDF so long as they use this machinery in illegal demolitions. The company should take steps to ensure that it does not knowingly sell its goods and services to customers that will use them to abuse human rights.

If you'd care to make your own comments to Caterpillar, click here.

Updated to note that links to the full text of the report, called "Razing Rafah," are here.