ISRAEL SAYS it is taking steps to reduce civilian casualties in future wars and will limit its use of white phosphorus shells.
A report presented to the United Nations secretary general outlined measures taken by the Israeli military in response to the UN investigation headed by South African jurist Richard Goldstone into the Gaza war, which concluded both Israel and Hamas had committed war crimes.
“The Israel defence forces have ordered the establishment of a clear doctrine and orders on the issue of various munitions which contain white phosphorus. These instructions are currently being implemented,” the report stated.
Israel was condemned for its use of white phosphorus during the 22-day campaign launched in December 2008 in an effort to end militant rocket fire into southern Israel. White phosphorus, used by armies to create smoke screens, is permitted under international law, but not in civilian areas.
The Israeli report admitted that damage caused by smoke-screen shells to a UN Relief and Works Agency compound during the fighting was more extensive than the military had anticipated and restrictions were imposed on the use of white phosphorus shells for the rest of the war.
According to human rights groups, more than half of the 1,400 Palestinians killed in the Gaza war were non-combatants.
Israel put the Palestinian fatalities at 1,166, and claimed the majority were militants.
Another step taken by Israel as a result of the war was the inclusion of a humanitarian affairs officer in each unit above battalion level. The responsibilities of the humanitarian affairs officer, according to the report, include “advising the commanding officer and educating the soldiers with regard to: the protection of civilians; civilian property and infrastructure; the planning of humanitarian assistance; the co-ordination of humanitarian movement; and the documentation of humanitarian safeguards employed by the IDF .”
The Israeli report said 47 criminal investigations had been launched into alleged misconduct during the Gaza war, including by two soldiers who were indicted for putting a Palestinian minor at risk, and a soldier who was suspected of killing a Palestinian civilian. The army has also pursued disciplinary action against senior officers.
The Palestinian Authority (PA) also presented a report to UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon but no details were provided. The PA has no control over Hamas, which rules Gaza.
Gaza has been relatively quiet since the war, although yesterday a Palestinian was killed and nine others wounded, two seriously, when an Israeli tank fired a shell close to the border. Israeli and Palestinian sources confirmed that the target of the tank fire was a militant rocket-launching cell operating near Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza strip. The man killed was named as a senior Islamic Jihad fighter in the area.