Earlier this week, Israeli forces attacked a couple of United Nations schools in Gaza, killing dozens of innocent civilians, including children.
Israel's excuse? They blamed it on Hamas for using civilians as human shields in those locations.
But that is not a valid excuse under international law. According to the Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions, relating to the protection of victims of international armed conflicts, parties are prohibited from using civilians as human shields. However, even if the other side does shield itself behind civilians, such a violation does not release the other side from its obligation to ensure that all precautionary measures are taken to ensure that the civilian population and civilian objects are spared.
That's pretty straightforward.
Hamas may have violated the rules of war, and that's wrong. But that is no excuse for Israel to do the same (using US-made weapons, by the way).
Both parties need to stop it. Now.
This deadly aggression will do nothing to resolve the underlying political issues that lie behind the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The problem requires a political solution, not a militaristic one.
But I shall not hold my breath.
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