AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL HELD a protest in Dublin today calling on the US Government to immediately halt the transfer of arms and fuel to Israel.
The call comes amid reports that the Pentagon has approved the immediate transfer of grenades and mortar rounds to the Israeli armed forces from a US arms stockpile pre-positioned in Israel.
It follows a shipment of 4.3 tons of US-manufactured rocket motors, which arrived in the Israeli port of Haifa on 15 July.
According to data made public by the US Government, its arms transfers to Israel from January to May 2014 included nearly $27 million for “rocket launchers”, $9.3 million worth in “parts of guided missiles” and nearly $762,000 for “bombs, grenades and munitions of war”.
Colm O’Gorman is the Executive Director of Amnesty International Ireland, he said:
Instead of continuing to send shipments of fuel and arms to the Israeli military, the USA must immediately suspend all such transfers and back an international investigation into the atrocities being carried out by both sides.
“It is deeply cynical for the White House to condemn the deaths and injuries of Palestinians, including children, and humanitarian workers, when it knows full well that the Israeli military responsible for such attacks are armed to the teeth with weapons and equipment supplied by the US.”
Amnesty International is calling on the UN to immediately impose a comprehensive arms embargo on Israel, Hamas and Palestinian armed groups with the aim of preventing violations of international humanitarian law and human rights by all sides.
In the absence of a UN arms embargo, the organisation is calling on all states to unilaterally suspend all transfers of military equipment, assistance and munitions to all parties to the conflict.
Iran
On July 24, the speaker of the Iranian parliament said Iran had provided arms manufacturing know-how to Hamas in Gaza.
In November 2012, he said Iran had given both financial and military support to Hamas, and the Commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said missile technology has been supplied.
Hamas fighters have admitted to firing Iranian-type Fajr 5 missiles towards Tel Aviv, but mostly fire shorter-range M25 or “Qassam” rockets and GRAD rockets.
O’Gorman said, “cutting off the supply of weapons and military supplies which are used to commit serious breaches of international law is a key step in bringing to an end the current round of conflict.
Those who supply arms to either side must recognise their responsibility for the appalling suffering inflicted upon civilians during the conflict.
“And those directly responsible for breaches of international law and war crimes must be held to account. Impunity for war crimes must end.”
More than 1,800 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have been reported killed since Israel began its latest offensive in Gaza on 8 July.
At least 63 Israeli soldiers have died in the conflict, as well as three civilians in Israel, including a Thai national.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
have your say