Since the issuance of the Declaration of Independence by the Israeli government on 14 May 1948,[1] Israel is labeled as a terrorist state for its actions specially against Palestinians and Iranians. The assassinations of Iranian nuclear scientists, explosions of Iranian garrisons, targeted killings specially against Palestinians and some bombings are the major actions that Israel is accused of. On December 14, 2006, the Supreme Court of Israel ruled that targeted killing by Israel Defense Forces is a kind of legal self-defense against terrorists, and determined several terms for its use. The legality of these actions and the high death toll amongst innocent persons has been criticized by human rights groups in Israel and abroad. Also, Israel is accused as a terrorist state by some of the countries for its actions during the Israel-Gaza conflict, officially.
Targeted killing
editOn December 14, 2006, the Supreme Court of Israel ruled that targeted killing by Israel Defense Forces is a kind of legal self-defense against terrorists, and determined several terms for its use.[2][3] While the term "targeted killing" usually describes airborne attacks, Israeli security forces have killed top Palestinian militants in the past by other means, although this has never been confirmed officially.
Some of the known operations include:[4]
- Operation Wrath of God against Black September and Palestinian Liberation Organisation personnel.
- Operation Spring of Youth, 1973.[5]
- Khalil al-Wazir known by his nom de guerre Abu Jihad, 1988.[6]
- Yahya Abdel-Tif Ayyash (Hamas bombmaker, "the Engineer"), 1996.”[7]
- Khaled Mashal (Hamas) in Jordan, 1997 (failed)
- Salah Mustafa Muhammad Shehade and eleven civilians, including Shehadeh's wife and three sons, and four other children.[8][9]
- Ahmed Ismail Yassin, 2004.[10][11]
- Possible targeted killing: Imad Mugniyah, a senior Hezbollah commander,2008, Mossad is alleged to have been behind the killing.[12]
- Possible targeted killing: Mahmoud al-Mabhouh, a senior Hamas commander and one of the founders of the al-Qassam Brigades, 2010, the Dubai police said that the Israeli Mossad was behind the killing.[13][14][15][16]
Israel–Gaza conflict
editDuring the Israel-Gaza conflict Israel has been accused as a state-sponsored terrorism for its actions in Gaza by some countries. Some of these sayings are:
- Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud described Israel actions during the 2014 Israel–Gaza conflictas state-sponsored terrorism.[17][18]
- On 15 July 2014, Recep Tayyip Erdogan said: «Israel is carrying out "state terrorism" in Gaza by violating the international law and disregarding humanitarian values in Gaza.»[19]
- In a speaking, Bolivian President Evo Morales has declared Israel as a terrorist state for its actions in Gaza. [20][21]
- On 10 October, following the killing of seven and wounding of hundred forty Palestinians by Israeli soldires in the besieged Gaza Strip, Parliament of Jordan condemned Israel for state terrorism.[22]
January 2015 Mazraat Amal incident
editThe January 2015 Mazraat Amal incident was an airstrike against a two-car convoy that killed six Hezbollah fighters that one of them was Jihad Mughnieh the son of Imad Mughnieh, and a general of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, Mohammad Ali Allahdadi,[23][24][25][26]
at al-Amal Farms (Mazraat Amal) in the Quneitra District of Syria, in the Golan Heights, on 18 January 2015, during the Syrian Civil War. The attack was largely attributed to Israel, which did not officially confirm that it carried it out.[27] Hezbollah and IRGC held Israel responsible and threatened to retaliate.[28] Amid official silence, a flurry of statements from anonymous Israeli officials have made contradictory claims. One said Israel had been unaware that an Iranian general was in the convoy.[29] Another anonymous senior Israeli security source said Israel believed it was attacking only low-ranking Hezbollah militants planning an attack on Israelis at the frontier fence, and that it had no idea the party contained prominent Hezbollah members, and least of all an Iranian general.[27][23]
Alex Fishman wrote in Israel's Yedioth Ahronoth that "one official apologizes anonymously, the other official refuses to apologize anonymously ... We are talking about a potential war and the heads of the state are playing hide and seek."[29]
A United Nations spokesman reported that the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) observed two unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) flying from Israeli-occupied Golan and crossing the Area of Separation buffer zone towards UN position 30 on the Syrian controlled edge of the zone, where they lost track of them. An hour later they saw smoke coming from position 30 but could not identify the source. Later they observed drones coming from the area of position 30 and flying over Jabbata, in the Area of Separation. The spokesman stated that this was a violation of the 1974 Agreement on Disengagement between Israel and Syria.[30] Residents of al-Amal Farms said that two cars arrived there, and within ten minutes two aircraft fired two missiles on each car. The resulting explosions left charred tyres, molten metal and car parts strewn about. One local was struck in the head by shrapnel and taken to hospital.[31] Hezbollah said that one of their vehicles was destroyed and another damaged.[32]
Reports prior to the United Nations statement suggested an attack by an Israeli helicopter, but the later reports indicated it may have been by drones.[27]
References
edit- ^ Israel: ۶۰ years of hope and despair, The Guardian
- ^ Scott Wilson. "Israeli High Court Backs Military On Its Policy of 'Targeted Killings'". Washington Post. Retrieved 23 September 2015.
- ^ "Summary of Israeli Supreme Court Ruling on Targeted Killings". Retrieved 22 September 2015.
- ^ For more information see B'Tselem Statistics, Objectives of a Targeted Killing
- ^ “34 Years Since ‘Operation Spring of Youth.’” Israel Defense Forces. News-Today in the IDF-(Archives). April 11, 2007.
- ^ Inbari, Pinchas. “Removing the Imaginary Hurdle.” Al-HaMishmar. April 18, 1988. Article found in “The Murder of Abu Jihad”. The Journal of Palestine Studies. Vol 17, No. 4, 1988. Page 155
- ^ Greenberg, Joel. “Slaying Blended Technology and Guile.” New York Times. (Archives) January 10, 1996. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F01E4D71339F933A25752C0A960958260
- ^ Guardian "12 Dead in Attack on Hamas." by Goldenberg, Suzanne. July 23, 2002.
- ^ CNN, Shehade was high on Israel most-wanted list, July 23, 2002
- ^ BBC
- ^ Amos Harel ,Aluf Benn (23 March 2004). "Hamas Leader Surfaced Only to Worship". HAARETZ. Retrieved 27 February 2016.
- ^ http://www.jpost.com/Features/FrontLines/Article.aspx?id=207767
- ^ "Hamas military commander 'assassinated in Dubai'". BBC News. January 29, 2010. Retrieved October 23, 2015.
- ^ "Hamas man 'drugged and suffocated' in Dubai". BBC News. February 28, 2010. Retrieved October 23, 2015.
- ^ "Dubai has proof Mossad killed Hamas man: report". Al Arabiya. February 20, 2010. Retrieved October 23, 2015.
- ^ Mark Schone (February 17, 2010). "Israel's Greatest Hits: Before Dubai, a History of Targeted Killing". ABC News. Retrieved October 23, 2015.
- ^ "Saudi king labels Israeli offensive in Gaza a war crime". Dawn. Dawn. Reuters. 1 August 2014. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
- ^ Angus McDowall (August 1, 2014). "Saudi king labels Israeli offensive in Gaza a war crime". Yahoo News. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
- ^ "Turkey PM slams Israeli 'state terrorism' in Gaza". Middle East Eye. 15 July 2014. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
- ^ Jack Moore (31 July 2014). "Gaza Crisis: Bolivia Declares Israel a 'Terrorist State' as Operation Protective Edge Continues". International Business times. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
- ^ 31 July 2014. "Bolivia declares Israel a 'terrorist state'". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Jordan's parliament accuses 'Israeli enemy' of state terrorism". The times of Israel. 10 October 2015. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
- ^ a b Williams, Dan (20 January 2015). "Israel didn't target Iranian general in strike: source". Reuters. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
- ^ "Report: Six Iranians killed in Israeli strike in Syria, including Revolutionary Guards general". Jerusalem Post. 19 January 2015.
- ^ "Six Iranians, including a general, killed in Israeli strike". Times of Israel. 19 January 2015.
- ^ "Israel strike on Syria 'also killed six Iranians'". AFP. 19 January 2015.
- ^ a b c "Israel didn't target Iranian general in Syria strike, says security source". i24news. 20 January 2015. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
- ^ Peter Beaumont. "Israel unaware killed Iranian general was in Hezbollah convoy in Syria". the Guardian. Retrieved 31 March 2015.
- ^ a b "Hezbollah seeks revenge but not war over Israel - Al Jazeera America". Retrieved 31 March 2015.
- ^ Charbonneau, Louis (19 January 2015). "U.N. saw drones over Syria before Israel strike in breach of truce". Reuters. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
- ^ "UN says Israeli airstrike may have breached 1974 ceasefire agreement". CCTV America. 21 January 2015. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
- ^ "Region on edge after Israel's deadly strike". The Daily Star. Beirut. 19 January 2015. Retrieved 22 January 2015.