Sent: Wednesday, September 06, 2006 7:39 AM
To: letters@washpost.com
Subject: Diversionary Strike On a Rights Group (Aug. 30, 2006)
In a 49-page report, Human Rights Watch claims that Israel conducted two dozen “indiscriminate” attacks against Lebanese civilians and is therefore guilty of war crimes [Diversionary Strike On a Rights Group (Aug. 30, 2006)]. Hezbollah, on the other hand, conducted 4000 rocket attacks designed to kill and maim Israeli civilians. But no such charges of war crimes have been levied against Hezbollah.
During the fighting, Israel dropped leaflets, blared warnings from loudspeakers, and in some cases made personal phone calls calling on Lebanese civilians to leave areas of impending attacks. Israel has denied the Human Rights Watch charges of indiscriminate bombing of civilians. Hezbollah, meanwhile, loaded rockets laced with ball bearings and nails to cause maximal civilian casualties. They make no denials about targeting civilians.
In short, Human Rights Watch has singled out two dozen disputed attacks by Israel as war crimes without implicating the 4000 undisputed attacks by Hezbollah. Yet Kathleen Peratis, member of the board and key defender of Human Rights Watch, seems surprised that critics “have been ferocious.” Go figure.
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