Israel deliberately destroyed Gaza
Israel deliberately destroyed Gaza
Thu, 13 May 2010 23

16 GMT
One of the Palestinian homes destroyed by Israeli bulldozers.‎
Human Rights Watch says it has proof Israeli soldiers deliberately destroyed Palestinian homes and buildings during the 2008-09 assault on Gaza.
HRW, in its 116-page report, 'I Lost Everything': Israel's Unlawful Destruction of Property in the Gaza Conflict, says it has documented 12 separate cases of such during the 22-day "Operation Cast Lead".
The report, released Thursday, said there is evidence that Israeli forces destroyed civilian property, including homes, factories, farms, and greenhouses, in areas under their control although there was no fighting in that area or the fighting had stopped.
It also urged Israel to investigate the cases and bring to justice those who ordered or committed the act of destruction. It said that Israeli soldiers forcefully vacated Palestinians from their homes and bulldozed their houses.
HRW said it has documented the complete destruction of 190 buildings, including 11 factories, 8 warehouses and 170 residential buildings, which it said was roughly five percent of the total property destroyed during the war in Gaza.
The HRW investigations, which relied upon physical evidence, satellite imagery and multiple witness accounts at each site, found no indication of nearby fighting when the destruction occurred.
It also condemned Israel's economic blockade of Gaza as illegal collective punishment, which prevented reconstruction of the impoverished strip. HRW also held Egypt responsible for the blockade.
"Almost 16 months after the war, Israel has not held accountable troops who unlawfully destroyed swaths of civilian property in areas under their control," Sarah Leah Whitson, the Middle East director at HRW said.
"The United States, the European Union and other states should urgently call upon Israel and Egypt to open Gaza's borders to reconstruction materials and other supplies essential for the civilian population," she said.
FTP/MMA