Madam, – Israeli Ambassador Zion Evrony (Opinion, February 20th) in rejecting Hamas propaganda, states that: “The IDF [Israeli Defence Forces] made every effort possible to avoid civilian casualties, using hundreds of thousands of leaflets, phone calls and radio broadcasts to warn of impending attacks. . .However, in any war, accidents are unavoidable and regrettable”.
The IDF does indeed make phone calls and drop leaflets. However to say they make every effort to avoid civilian casualties is in many cases a fiction.
To quote Marc Garlasco, senior military analyst at Human Rights Watch, “firing 155mm shells into the centre of Gaza City, whatever the target, will likely cause horrific civilian casualties. By using this weapon in such circumstances, Israel is committing indiscriminate attacks in violation of the laws of war.” It seems we have a difference of opinion on the truth.
Even allowing for the withholding of judgment into ongoing investigations into possible war crimes by Israeli forces in Gaza, one has only to look at the Israeli use of cluster bombs in Lebanon (2006) to see how the remarks from the Israeli ambassador ring hollow for many people. Do hollow remarks equate to propaganda? I would have thought so. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – A few days ago we had the Israeli ambassador denying that phosphorus had been used by Israel in Gaza. In yesterday’s edition we read of Amnesty International detailing the use of white phosphorus. Is it a fair assumption that little else in the ambassador’s report can be relied on? There are most serious “sins” on both sides of the conflict, but the use if disinformation and lies is of no long-term benefit to anyone. – Yours, etc,