JERUSALEM – March 2, 2008 – Author Sami Michael, ACRI’s President, sent an urgent letter today to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Defense Minister Ehud Barak, condemning the disproportionate and indiscriminate attacks on Gaza which have killed dozens of Palestinians, many of whom are civilians, including at least 12 children. Hundreds more have been wounded in this latest round of attacks, and Gaza hospitals are collapsing, unable to treat such a large influx of patients, among other reasons because of the shortage of humanitarian goods allowed into the region. As such, ACRI has strong reason to believe that Israel is committing severe breaches of International Humanitarian Law.
In the letter, Mr. Michael affirms Israel’s right to defend its citizens and writes that the continuous firing of Kassam rockets at civilian populations in Sderot and the Gaza-border area constitutes a war crime – according to International Humanitarian Law.
Mr. Michael further emphasized that one war crime does not justify another, and called on Mr. Olmert and Mr. Barak to stop the indiscriminate killing of civilians in Gaza immediately.
Click here for the complete version of Mr. Michael’s letter in Hebrew.
