Lebanon: The Targeting of Civilians in Israeli Airstrikes is a War Crime
Alkarama strongly condemns the deliberate targeting of civilians amid the ongoing Israeli bombardment of densely populated residential areas in Lebanon. At the same time, occupation forces persist in perpetrating acts of genocide in Gaza, systematically erasing entire Palestinian families without facing any form of deterrence.
Alkarama calls upon the international community to uphold its responsibility in halting this escalation, the ongoing violence, and the violations of national sovereignty, which include war crimes committed in clear violation of international laws and treaties.
United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, has voiced grave concern over the worsening situation in Lebanon, particularly regarding the significant civilian casualties, including women and children, as reported by Lebanese authorities. Additionally, thousands have been displaced amid the heaviest Israeli bombardment since October.
The Secretary-General urged all parties to safeguard civilians and civilian infrastructure, emphasizing the necessity of preventing any harm to them. Lebanese authorities have reported that hundreds of individuals have been killed or injured. The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) emphasized that "targeting civilians not only breaches international law but may also constitute war crimes." UNIFIL renewed its firm call for a diplomatic resolution, stressing the imperative that all parties prioritize the protection of civilian lives and guarantee their safety.
In this regard, Alkarama expresses its solidarity with the Al Jazeera Network in light of the restrictions and systematic targeting it has endured, culminating in the closure of its news bureau in Ramallah by Israeli occupation authorities in the occupied West Bank. Alkarama considers this action as part of a broader pattern of violations aimed at silencing journalists and repressing freedom of the press, constituting a clear infringement of Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which guarantees the right to freedom of opinion and expression.
Alkarama considers the closure of Al Jazeera’s offices and the targeting of journalists during this war as an attempt to hide the truth and silence witnesses to the occupation's crimes.
Furthermore, Alkarama expresses profound indignation at the footage depicting Israeli soldiers discarding bodies from a rooftop in the occupied West Bank, an act unequivocally condemned as a "heinous and inhumane crime" by UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric, highlighting grave breaches of fundamental human rights and humanitarian principles.
Alkarama urges all United Nations member states to adopt more decisive and concrete measures to halt the systematic violations against journalists and human rights defenders, particularly those standing in solidarity with the Palestinian people. Additionally, Alkarama calls upon world leaders convened in New York for the high-level segment of the United Nations General Assembly to give due regard to the appeals made by heads of various UN bodies and international organizations, demanding an end to the "grave humanitarian suffering and catastrophic conditions in Gaza," which stem from what is now an extended campaign of genocide perpetrated by Israel over the past year.