The Israeli military's findings about the conduct of its forces in Gaza, announced on April 22, lack credibility and confirm the need for an impartial international inquiry into alleged violations by both Israel and Hamas.

The loss of lives and livelihoods from cluster munitions used by Russia and Georgia during the August 2008 armed conflict reinforces the importance of the new treaty banning the weapon.

Israel's repeated firing of white phosphorus shells over densely populated areas of Gaza during its recent military campaign was indiscriminate and is evidence of war crimes.

Human Rights Watch found that in Gaza the IDF used white phosphorus in at least three ways.

A new US law permanently banning nearly all cluster bomb exports by the United States will end a long period of transfers of the weapon to Israel and other countries in the Middle East and North Africa.

Legislation signed into law on March 11, 2009 by President Obama will make permanent a ban on nearly all cluster bomb exports by the United States.

The United States should reconsider its stance and join the treaty banning antipersonnel landmines. Sunday, March 1 will mark 10 years since the treaty became binding international law.

Governments of the Middle East and North Africa region should sign the new international treaty banning cluster munitions.