Key Passages from US Report on Israel: Damning yet Cautiously Equivocal | US News
According to a US State Department report, Israel may have violated international law, a conclusion that is both critical and cautious in nature.
The report, which was released recently, criticizes Israel’s actions but also leaves room for criticism from skeptics.
The report, eagerly awaited and originally due on Wednesday, was prepared by the US State Department for the US Congress to assess the use of US-supplied weapons overseas.
It states that some of Israel’s actions in Gaza have been inconsistent with its international humanitarian law obligations, a significant admission by the US government.
However, the report also concludes that Israel has not breached the terms of its use of US weapons, showcasing legal and verbal acrobatics.
The report, officially known as a National Security Memorandum (NSM), is published periodically to assess whether countries receiving US-provided weapons are adhering to the agreements governing their use under International Humanitarian Law (IHL).
Given the allegations against Israel concerning Gaza, this report holds particular significance as a considerable amount of the weapons used by Israel in Gaza come from the US.
The report raises several key points, including concerns about civilian casualties in Gaza and the effectiveness of Israeli security forces in mitigating harm to civilians.
Despite these concerns, the US government has not found clear violations of international humanitarian law, allowing them to avoid concluding that Israel has broken the terms of the weapons transfer agreement.
The investigation into these concerns remains incomplete, and the lack of definitive legal conclusions has led the US government to withhold judgment on whether the weapons deal with Israel has been violated.
US officials argue that individual incidents do not necessarily reflect a country’s overall compliance with international humanitarian law.
The report also states that the US does not believe that Israel is impeding the transport or delivery of US humanitarian assistance.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Rafah: Does Israel have enough weapons?
The question remains as to how the US government can assert that Israel did not violate the terms of the weapons transfer agreement despite acknowledging inconsistencies with international law.
The US government claims it has not assessed any specific cases of clear violations of international humanitarian law due to incomplete investigations and lack of information provided by Israel.
