8  February 2000

"Israel and those cooperating with it will not fire
any kind of weapon at civilians or civilian targets in Lebanon."
Article 2, "Grapes of Wrath" Cease-Fire Understandings.

In response to Israel's shelling of Lebanon, B'Tselem reminds the
Israeli government that attacks on civilian targets, including
power stations and other infrastructure, contravene international
humanitarian law and the "Grapes of Wrath" Understandings,
which Israel signed.

International law, as reflected in Protocol I to the Geneva
Conventions of 1949, provides:
*        "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." (Article 48)
*        "It is prohibited to attack, destroy, remove, or render
useless objects indispensable to the survival of the civilian
population," unless the objects are clearly being used for military
purposes. (Article 54)

In January, B'Tselem released a report addressing a wide range of
human rights violations in the context of Israel's occupation of
southern Lebanon. This report can be downloaded from
B'Tselem's website:
www.btselem.org/btselem/files/eLebanon.doc

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B'Tselem: The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in
the Occupied Territories is the leading Israeli organization
monitoring, documenting and advocating to improve human
rights in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.  Founded in 1989,
B'Tselem publishes reports, engages in advocacy and serves as a
resource center.

43 Emek Refaim Street
Jerusalem 93141 ISRAEL
Telephone: 972-2-5617271
Fax: 972-2-561-0756
mail@btselem.org
http://www.btselem.org