Human Rights Watch called on the United States not to proceed with the proposed sale to Israel of new air-to-ground missiles until Israel gives assurances that the missiles will not be used in attacks on civilian targets in Lebanon.
Israel has flouted international humanitarian law by attacking Lebanese electrical stations three times in less than a year," said Ken Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch. In at least one case, the May 5 attack on the Bsalim electrical station, near Beirut, U.S. supplied Hellfire air-to-ground missiles were reportedly used to attack a civilian facility. "The U.S. has not only failed to protest Israel's actions, it is now poised to sell Israel missiles that could be used in future attacks," said Roth. In the case of the AGM-142, the U.S. manufacturer of the missile explicitly promotes it as effective against power plants.
"This is clearly the wrong sale at the wrong time," said Roth. "The U.S. should not to go forward with the sale of these missiles until Israel guarantees they will not be used to attack civilians or civilian structures in Lebanon."
In a letter to Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, Human Rights Watch said, "To proceed with the sale in the wake of Israel's attack on civilian power stations in Lebanon on May 5, 2000 would not only send the wrong signal, but would also potentially make the U.S. complicit in attacks prohibited by international humanitarian law."
The letter states, "The Israeli attacks on Lebanese power stations in June 24, 1999, February 8, 2000, and May 5, 2000 were clear violations of international humanitarian law. The stations were civilian facilities and played no part in Hizballah's military campaign against Israel. The Israeli attacks have had no discernable effect on Hizballah's military efforts, and have only punished the Lebanese population. With each attack, large parts of Lebanon have been plunged into darkness, and the Lebanese state electrical utility has been forced to ration electricity to the entire country."
In addition to the letter to Sec. Albright, Human Rights Watch released a backgrounder with additional information on the missiles, the proposed sales, Israel's attacks, and a legal analysis.
