Israel's unexpected and ruthless attack on Lebanese citizens' communication devices a few days ago shocked and stunned the international community. The explosion of thousands of pagers and communication devices in various parts of Beirut and Syria resulted in the deaths of dozens of people and the injury of thousands; injuries that some of them lost their eyes and hundreds are still in critical condition.
Are these horrific and catastrophic attacks justifiable under international law? The answer is clear: international lawyers clearly describe Israel's actions as a heinous crime.
Israel's attacks on Lebanese communication devices, some of which were also in the possession of Hezbollah members, are a clear and blatant violation of the fundamental principles of international humanitarian law.
International humanitarian law, which stems from the Geneva Conventions and the provisions of the International Court of Justice, has established strict rules to limit the suffering caused by armed conflicts. These laws emphasize the principle of distinction between combatants and non-combatants, as well as between military and non-military targets. Attacks that indiscriminately harm non-military targets are clearly prohibited.
Violation of the principle of distinction and proportionality
Lawyers say that Israel's attacks in Lebanon have severely violated the principle of distinction. According to available reports, these explosions were carried out without any individual examination and precise targeting.
Alonso Gurmendi-Dunkelberg, a researcher in political economy at the London School of Economics, emphasizes that to comply with international law, Israel should have examined each communication device individually to ensure that it only attacks combat forces. These examinations not only did not take place, but the explosions occurred simultaneously and indiscriminately in various locations.
Janina Dill, co-director of the Institute for Ethics, Law and Armed Conflict at the University of Oxford, points to concerns about the principle of proportionality. She says that performing proportionality calculations for hundreds of simultaneous explosions is almost impossible, and these attacks not only put civilians at risk but are also legally indefensible. The explosion of pagers in homes, shops, cars, and even funerals demonstrates a disregard for basic human principles in war.
Targeting civilians and disregard for legitimate military action
One of the fundamental principles of international humanitarian law is that only armed forces involved in the war can be targeted. However, in Israel's attacks, civilians, including doctors, journalists, and hospital staff, have also lost their lives. Children have also been victims of these brutal attacks; including Fatima Abdullah, the 9-year-old daughter of a Hezbollah member.
Ellen Nohle of the Diakonia International Humanitarian Law Centre warns that individuals who do not directly participate in the conflict should never be attacked. She emphasizes that there is no justification for targeting these civilians, even if they are affiliated with Hezbollah.
These crimes are a clear violation of the principle of military necessity, which emphasizes that the use of force is only permissible to the extent of "absolute necessity".
Use of booby-trapped explosive devices; A clear violation
The use of booby-trapped explosive devices, such as those seen in the attacks on Lebanese pagers and communication devices, is prohibited under international law. According to the Second Protocol Amending the Convention on Conventional Weapons, which Israel is also a signatory to, the use of explosive booby-traps that act suddenly and unpredictably is considered a violation of international law.
Andrew Clapham, author of the book "War" and a professor at the Geneva Graduate Institute, emphasizes that these devices are clearly designed to kill and harm, and this type of use is a gross violation of international law.
Nohle also states that these explosions are considered "other devices" under international law and are illegal if carried out by government agents or individuals acting under their orders.
These crimes, reminiscent of Israel's past terrorist operations and
covert operations, not only violate human rights but also demonstrate
Israel's complete disregard for international law and the ethics of war.
The international community must respond decisively to such brutal
actions that take the lives of innocent civilians and violate
fundamental human laws.
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