By Vineet Malik | October 11, 2024 | London, England
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) recent attack in the capital of Lebanon – Beirut on 27 September in civilian areas created deep bunkers on the ground. More than 20 innocent lives were lost and many injured.
A recent report published by the U.S. Naval Institute has revealed use of Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM) classified as ‘GBU-31’ bombs by IDF in the densely populated area of Beirut.
The Article 51(4)(b) of the Geneva Convention prohibits such indiscriminate attacks.
The attacks are termed as indiscriminate if they “employ a method or means of combat which cannot be directed at a specific military objective.
Attacks are also considered indiscriminate if they “employ a method or means of combat the effects of which cannot be limited as required by this Protocol and consequently, in each such case, are of a nature to strike military objectives and civilians or civilian objects without distinction.
In the case of depleted uranium armaments, the attacks can never be directed solely at a specific military target.
Due to the nature of the weapons, radiologically and chemically, the lingering harm cannot be contained nor directed.
GBU-31 bombs are manufactured by the American Co. – Boeing.
Short-Term Impact of DU Weaponry
These lethal bombs are capable of penetrating steel structures or strong reinforced concrete as the casing are constructed with Depleted Uranium (DU) used for its high density.
Long-Term Impact of DU Weaponry
DU bombs when fired turns into minute dust particles that further leads to spreading dust by wind, polluting water, soil and agriculture land.
All 14 uranium isotopes contained within uranium are radioactive.
The radiation of DU can last for more than two billion years.
Furthermore, the half-life of DU is 4.5 billion years, effectively becoming a part of the environment forever.
Given the radioactivity, uranium and compounds derived from uranium are highly toxic from both chemical and radiological perspective.
A study conducted by Scientists at the American Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute (AFRRI) incorporated in Vermont Law Review identified four key health concerns pertaining to DU exposure :
Cancer
Immune system damage
Central nervous system damage
Reproductive system damage
Once in the soil, DU can pollute the environment and create up to a hundredfold increase in uranium levels in ground water, according to the U.N. Environmental Program.
Once it enters the body, it is absorbed by the blood, which carries it to the organs and can cause respiratory issues and kidney risks.
It can also reach an unborn child through the placenta, according to a report by the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW).
The long- term harm on veterans, civilian populations, and the environment should be self-evident that such weapons should not be utilized for warfare.
The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court on War Crime
Article 8, paragraph 2(b)(iv) states the elements of a military exercise constituting a war crime as:
(1) the belligerent force launched an attack, such that,
(2) the attack would cause incidental deaths or injury to civilians, damage civilian objects or cause widespread long- term and severe damage to the natural environment, while,
(3) the attacker knew the attack would result in excessive collateral damage, such that,
(4) the extent of collateral damage would be clearly excessive in relation to the concrete and direct overall military advantage anticipated.
Geneve based International Campaign to Abolish nuclear Weapons (ICAN) Head of Media – Alistair Burnett in an exclusive conversation with The Revelation says
“ICAN supports international law regulating or prohibiting weapons that cause indiscriminate harm.
Currently, DU weapons are not prohibited under any specific international agreement. So far international efforts to regulate uranium weapons have been through the United Nations (UN) General Assembly that has repeatedly adopted resolutions on ‘Effects of the use of armaments and ammunitions containing DU.
The most recent resolution, A/RES/77/49, was adopted in the UN General Assembly with a vote of 147-5-23. That resolution recognises the need to take measures to protect the environment from the long-term effects of depleted uranium.
It is also worth noting that many financial institutions consider DU weapons to be controversial weapons, and therefore exclude the companies that produce them from investments.
Uranium weapons consist mainly of DU which is a radioactive and chemically toxic heavy metal whose density is 1.7 times greater than that of lead.
DU is a by-product of enriching uranium for nuclear fuel and weapons.
Due to the high density of uranium, it is used in projectiles to increase their ability to penetrate hardened targets.
When DU munitions hit an armoured surface, they are burned by the high temperatures generated by the impact. This creates a very fine dust that is radioactive and chemically toxic. Through food and respiration, this toxic dust is absorbed by the body.
Projectiles that miss their target also corrode very slowly, releasing their toxicity to groundwater and soil, poisoning the environment and humans.
Burnett further added, According to the Serbian Military Technical Institute, the use of DU creates a long-term health threat for civilians and the military alike, obstructs reconstruction through ravaged areas, spreads fear and is difficult and costly to remove.”
In 1995, the U.S. Army magazine, Armor published an article highlighting the grave risks associated with exposure to such weapons and considered them a serious health threat.
The Revelation questioned the IDF for its conduct in the ongoing warfare.
What precautions did Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) initiate prior to bombing locations with very high civilian population in particular in Beirut, Lebanon ? Pls respond with irrefutable evidence.
Given the civilians killed in such a large number, is Israel and its Defense Forces above the International Law and International Humanitarian Law ?
The IDF spokesperson simply escaped from its accountability by saying “The IDF is not using illegal weaponry.”
International Law is clear in making a distinction between militants and civilians that requires militaries to strictly adhere with all possible precautions by not causing harm to civilians.
There is currently no treaty to either regulate or ban the military use of DU weaponry.
In absence of laws prohibiting DU, use of such lethal weapons should be deemed unjust.
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