Amnesty condemns attacks by Palestinian suicide bombers

Sydney
21 July 2002

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Amnesty condemns attacks by Palestinian suicide bombers

By Kathleen Carmody

Amnesty International condemned suicide bombings in a new report, Without Distinction – attacks on civilians by Palestinian armed groups, that says there is no justification for attacks on civilians.

It says suicide bombings by Palestinians in the past two years, have killed – among others – an 18-month-old baby, a five-year-old girl and a 90-year-old woman. All were killed in Israel or in Israeli settlements in the past two years.

Since September 2000 – the start of the Al-Aqsa intifada (uprising) – there have been more than 130 attacks on Israeli civilians by armed Palestinian groups or individuals, killing more than 350 people, including 60 children and 64 elderly people.

In most cases the attackers knowingly targeted unarmed civilians in streets, cafes, on buses or in hotels, the report says.

“Whatever the cause for which people are fighting, there can never be a justification for direct attacks on civilians,” Amnesty says.

Palestinian armed groups justify the targeting of Israeli civilians as retaliation against Israeli killing of Palestinian civilians and as a legitimate struggle against an occupying power.

They argue that Israeli settlers are not civilians, or else that striking at civilians is the only way to make an impact on a powerful adversary.

Amnesty rejects these arguments, stressing that the obligation to protect civilians is absolute.

Under international law there is no justification for attacking civilians. Targeting civilians is contrary to fundamental principles of humanity enshrined in international law which should apply in all circumstances at all times.

“Civilians should never be the focus of attacks, not in the name of security and not in the name of liberty,” it says.

“We call on the leadership of all Palestinian armed groups to cease attacking civilians, immediately and unconditionally.”

To download a copy of Without Distinction – attacks on civilians by Palestinian armed groups go to http://www.amnesty.org.au and click on the Israel & the Occupied Territories link.