Israel’s eviction orders on Lebanon “grave breach” of humanitarian law
Israel’s eviction orders following attacks on Lebanon are a grave breach of international humanitarian law, a report published on December 20th by Oxfam and ActionAid revealed.
After Israel heightened its attack on Lebanon in late September, its Arabic language military spokesman “regularly issued” evacuation orders to residents before bombing campaigns, according to The National.
The report found that these orders, described as “forced displacement orders,” gave people inadequate time to evacuate and frequently took place in the middle of the night. The orders were usually given with 15 to 45 minutes notice of strikes, in which 62% of the notices were issued between 10pm and 5am. The report also revealed that 223 towns in south Lebanon faced “mass forced displacement orders.”
The report said: “Customary international humanitarian law prohibits forced displacement by parties to the conflict and permits evacuation only under circumstances that provide robust protections for civilian welfare, including access to proper accommodation, hygiene, health services, nutrition and family unity.”
The report added: “Israel’s forced displacement orders in Lebanon lacked these essential provisions. They failed to provide displaced populations with access to basic services or secure accommodation. Consequently, these actions amount not to lawful evacuation orders but rather to forced displacement – a grave breach of international humanitarian law.”
The Israeli troops would also issue maps which showed alleged Hezbollah buildings which were going to be attacked. The report claimed that the maps were typically “unclear, difficult to interpret and contained inaccuracies regarding distances.” The maps also listed areas or landmarks which did not exist or referred to names which were obsolete or unheard of.
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Oxfam Lebanon’s director, Bachir Ayoub, said: “The chaos, destruction, and disruption caused by these displacements will continue to affect the most vulnerable communities long after the ceasefire.”
ActionAid’s Arab Region director, Sudipta Kumar, said: “After the ceasefire, thousands of families returned to their towns and villages to find their homes reduced to wreckage. Many have been left with nothing and cannot afford to rebuild.”
Israel’s attack on Lebanon has led to 1.4 million people being displaced as well as more than 4000 deaths, The National reports.
Lebanon’s army said an Israeli attack in Sidon, southern Lebanon, killed three people and wounded the military as well as UN peacekeepers on November 7th, according to Arab News via AFP.
Israel’s air strikes in Lebanon killed three people from Hezbollah, including a field commander on April 16th, according to Asharq Al-Awsat and agencies.
The National, ActionAid, Oxfam, Arab News, AFP, Asharq Al-Awsat and agencies
