Posted on 07/25/2002 8:28:55 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
Secretary of State Colin Powell said Thursday that Israel's use of U.S.-made weapons in attacks that kill civilians is under Bush administration review.
However, he gave no indication that Israel's use of a U.S.-made F-16 jet fighter to kill execute a Hamas leader violated U.S. law, which specifies the weapons may be used only in self-defense. In the military strike, a one-ton bomb was exploded in a residential area in Gaza city, killing Hamas military wing commander Salah Shehada and 14 others, inlcuidng nine children.
Powell said the administration was concerned about the loss of human life.
"We are constantly reviewing the manner in which equipment provided to the government of Israel is used," Powell said. The review concerns both the loss of civilian life and the tactic of targeting individuals, he said.
Israel itself was looking into the incident, Powell said in an exchange with reporters at the State Department.
Department spokesman Richard Boucher said Wednesday it had not reported to Congress that Israel was misusing American-made weapons.
Hamas is listed as a terrorist organization by the State Department. It has killed scores of Israelis in suicide bombings.
Still, the State Department immediately criticized Israel's targeting tactic and deplored the loss of civilian lives.
The international outcry was far stronger, with critics accusing the United States of complicity since the F-16 was American-made.
On Wednesday, spokesman Boucher said there was no basis for reporting to Congress that an American weapon had been used illegally. Weapons may be used only for self-defense.
But, he said, "we've made quite clear that we're seriously concerned about some of the Israeli tactics, some of the Israeli actions, including targeted killings and actions like this that endanger civilians."
Ben-Eliezer: Slain Hamas leader was preparing 'mega attack'
Defense Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer said Thursday that the slain Hamas military commander Salah was in the midst of preparing "a mega terror attack."
Speaking at a meeting at the Labor Party's central headquarters in Beit Berl, Ben-Eliezer said that Shehada planned to infiltrate one ton of explosives into Israel "which could shock the whole nation or kill hundreds."
Ben-Eliezer said that he postponed the assassination operation eight times during the past two months, including last Friday. "The plane was already in the air but we got word that his daughter was with him and the operation was once again postponed. We received information two days ago that he was alone with two other murderers," Ben-Eliezer said.
The defense minister said "I do not take the deaths of children lightly. We are a people who do all they can to try to prevent the deaths of children and women, but when you are in the midst of a complicated war, there can be mistakes, which we will learn from."
Mubarak: IAF Gaza strike was bid to wreck peace initiatives
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak said on Thursday the IAF strike that killed the Hamas military wing leader and 14 others was a deliberate attempt to sabotage recent efforts to ease Middle East violence.
Speaking after talks in Paris with French President Jacques Chirac, Mubarak said Prime Minister Ariel Sharon had sought deliberately to wreck efforts on the Palestinian side to halt the chain of violence. Before Tuesday's strike, there were peace initiatives aimed at getting the militant Palestinian group Hamas to stop carrying out attacks against Israel, Mubarak said. He added that Palestinian initiatives were also underway and that he himself had hosted the Israeli defense minister.
Then "there was this abominable strike at Gaza," he said. "This shows that the Israeli prime minister was doubtless not happy with these initiatives and efforts, and said to himself, 'I'll carry out this attack at Gaza to sabotage all these efforts'," Mubarak said.
Sharon "must understand that if there is no peace, that it's guaranteed ruin for everyone, not just for the Palestinians, but for the Israeli people themselves, because they will not be able to live normally," Mubarak said.
Chirac said that French and Egyptian positions were in complete agreement on issues including the Middle East and said he backed the Egyptian view that Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat was the only viable negotiator for the Palestinian side.
This Powellism is becoming more sickening almost by the day.
By Barry Schweid
Associated Press
The Bush administration has served notice on Israel that it is reviewing the use of American equipment in military operations that exact a heavy civilian toll. The U.S. concern is the impact on difficult peacemaking efforts. Targeting foes of Israel in densely populated areas does not make Israel more secure, State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said Thursday.
“There’s no question of our support for Israel’s security,” he said. “There’s no question of our support for Israel’s right to defend itself.”
But, he said, the bombing does not improve chances for peace and “when we see things that we don’t think are advisable we point that out.”
The notice of a continuing review came from Secretary of State Colin Powell at a news conference.
But he gave no indication that Israel’s use of an American-made F-16 fighter jet to kill Hamas military leader Salah Shehadeh in Gaza City on Tuesday will be judged a violation of U.S. law.
Israel is required to restrict use of American-made weapons to self-defense. Hamas has carried out several suicide bombings that killed scores of Israelis. And according to Israeli officials, Shehadeh was planning more attacks.
The bomb was dropped on a densely populated neighborhood. It leveled three houses and killed 15 Palestinians, including nine children.
Powell said the administration was concerned about the loss of human life and about targeting an individual in a densely populated area.
“We are constantly reviewing the manner in which equipment provided to the government of Israel is used,” he said.
Israel also was looking into the strike, including how it was planned and how it was directed, Powell said at the State Department.
“We are not seeing this as a legal issue,” spokesman Boucher said later. “We’re not trying to find legalistic technicalities to hang Israel on, or its lawyers on.”
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Colon Bowel continues to undercut Israel and aid his terrorist friends. Makes me sick.
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