By Holly Kilroy Saturday 26th of August, Israeli Defense Force and Border Guard units conducting a cordon & search operation in the West Bank city of Nablus destroyed a number of civilian residential buildings and occupied a local school, using it as a military base. This school had been used during the summer months to house Irish and international volunteers who were in the area to teach English in the nearby Askar refugee camp through a program run by An-Najah University. One of the homes destroyed was that of a local volunteer involved in the same program who dedicated his summer to looking after the international volunteers and ensuring their safety at all times.
The actions began at 2:15am on Saturday when Israeli forces invaded the area and ordered the evacuation of the Lubaddeh residential apartment block. They were looking for two suspected militants, Sufyan Qandeel and Ameen Lubadeh, whom the Israelis claimed were hiding in the building. Neither of the men were residents there. The IDF did not conduct a search and proceeded to demolish the building. As part of the cordon and destruction of the residential building, Israeli Forces occupied the Jordani School across the road. Local source Mira A.B. Nabulsi reported that it was “used as a military barracks, as (sic) snipers spread all around it.” Tensions with the local population then ensued resulting with cases of stone throwing by local inhabitants. Israeli reprisals resulted in the death of 15 year old Montaser Suleiman Oka from Askar refugee camp and the injuring of another twenty two people, all of whom were minors. Israeli troops left the area after more than twelve hours. No militants were found, one minor was killed, 20 homes were destroyed and 125 people were left homeless.
Israeli Forces are clearly continuing their policy of de Facto collective punishment upon civilians with family links to suspected militants. Such actions have already been documented by a number of NGO’s and are regarded as a war crime under Article 33 of the Geneva Convention of 1949 which states that “No protected person may be punished for an offence he or she has not personally committed. Collective penalties and likewise all measures of intimidation or of terrorism are prohibited…Reprisals against protected persons and their property are prohibited.”
Such destruction of the Lubaddeh civilian property constitutes a war crime as it violates Article 48 of the additional protocol to the Geneva Conventions that “In order to ensure respect for and protection of the civilian population and civilian objects, the Parties to the conflict shall at all times distinguish between the civilian population and combatants and between civilian objects and military objectives and accordingly shall direct their operations only against military objectives."
Israeli military conduct in occupying the school also violates the Additional Protocol 1 to the Geneva Conventions which states in Article 52.3 that “In case of doubt whether an object which is normally dedicated to civilian purposes, such as a place of worship, a house or other dwelling or a school, is being used to make an effective contribution to military action, it shall be presumed not to be so used."
With the destruction of the Lubaddeh building, the Irish and internationals who volunteered in Nablus are now attempting to raise emergency funds for the displaced families especially that of the local volunteer who so warmly welcomed them into his home and heart. Holly Kilroy –
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