Amensty International who claim both Hamas AND Israel committed war crimes (in the case of Israel white phosphorus and in the case of Hamas indiscriminate firing of rockets) now wants an arms embargo against Hamas and Israel and wants the UN Security Council to impose it.
Is this a sick joke?
There is already an effective embargo against Hamas which is why they build tunnels and smuggle in weapons. Can the toothless UN stop that? Fat chance.
Secondly, although Israel sources its phosphorus from outside the country (the US of course) does AI seriously think that the US would support this embargo?
Of course not. What AI want to do is make a point. They are very fair-minded people at AI. They are willing to admit that terrorists use terror to further their political and religious aims. Thank you. But hold on, they also want to stop Israel from using white phosphorus without anyone as yet (apart from the IDF) making any effort to find out when it was used, why and to what extent.
Take a look at the picture on the BBC website here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7904929.stm?lss Anyone ever heard of Photoshop and Pallywood? When WP lands it immediately throws up a smokescreen. Can you see one? The only smokescreen I can see is the one that Hamas is constantly throwing up.
The IDF claims that WP was not used directly against civilians and used defensively, often TO AVOID civilian casualties. How? Well if you are an ethical state who does not want to return fire on terrorists who have placed themselves amongst that civilian population and at the same time you need to protect yourself, then using WP is an option that any battlefield commander would be justified to use to protect his own troops.
It is, however, illegal to do so, according to International Law, in built-up areas. In that case “the law is a ass…and the worst I wish the law is that his eye may be opened by experience”. As with any law, especially rules of war, each case must be considered in context, and examined in the light of the realities of the specific circumstances. WP is not an anti-personal weapon and should not be used as such.