A real threat to Israel

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday delivered a highly politicized address on Iran to the United States Congress. Politicians in Israel and in the U.S. have criticized Netanyahu for disrespecting the White House and damaging the relationship between Israel and the U.S. government. Many have rightly called the visit a transparent attempt by Netanyahu to score political points ahead of a tough election at home later this month. 

But this move is more than a cynical power play with the Obama administration for Netanyahu and congressional Republicans. Like the Wizard of Oz employing frightening and deceptive projections, Netanyahu is using Iran as a smokescreen to divert attention from his government’s failed policies towards the Palestinians and its responsibility for the unfolding humanitarian tragedy in Gaza. These are real and immediate threats to Israel’s security. 

{mosads}It is no secret that Gaza is facing a serious humanitarian crisis. This past July, Netanyahu launched the third and deadliest major military offensive in Gaza in six years. The war left Gaza unable to provide its people with basic needs like food, water, electricity, or health care. The Israeli government justified the war as necessary to defend Israelis from Hamas, and recognized its responsibility to protect Israeli and Palestinian civilian lives. But new reports by leading Israeli human rights groups show that the Israeli military failed to protect civilians and that its policies are responsible for significant destruction, injury and death.

Physicians for Human Rights-Israel found alarming evidence that suggests serious violations of human rights and international law. According to testimonies collected by the only independent fact-finding mission allowed access into Gaza during and after the war, the Israeli military fired on a large group of Palestinian civilians attempting to escape the town of Khuza’a while carrying white flags.  

In another incident in Khuza’a, a group of civilians took shelter in the basement of a family home that was taken over by Israeli military forces. Eyewitness testimony indicates that Israeli soldiers allowed the women, children and elderly to leave, before stripping the younger men down to their underwear and interrogating and beating them. The Israeli soldiers then forced the Palestinian captives to stand in front of the windows as human shields, while Israeli soldiers stood behind them and fired their rifles at targets outside. 

The warning systems Netanyahu and other Israeli officials claim prevented civilian casualties failed. Physicians for Human Rights – Israel found that most Gazans did not receive a phone call, text message or leaflet warning of an impending attack. And when civilians in Gaza did attempt to flee, there were no secure evacuation routes and no safe places to escape Israeli attacks.  

The practice of firing a small missile at the top floor of a residential building — Israeli officials refer to this practice as “knock on the roof” — was ineffective because many people couldn’t differentiate the warning shot from a full-scale attack. In at least several cases, people were injured by the “warning” itself.  

On the first day of fighting, the Israeli military attacked the home of the Kaware’ family in the city of Khan Younis in southern Gaza. The house collapsed and nine members of the Kaware’ family were killed, including five children between the ages of seven and 14. This was just the first of dozens of attacks on residential buildings during the war in which homes collapsed on entire families. According to another report by Israeli human rights organization B’Tselem, at least 606 Palestinians were killed inside homes. More than two out of every three of those killed were under age 18, over age 60 or women, and took no part in the fighting. 

This evidence is enough to warrant a credible and independent investigation into Israel’s policies regarding Gaza. To be sure, Hamas likely committed serious violations of international law as well, and both Hamas and the Israeli government are responsible for protecting civilians during war. As Israelis, we believe Prime Minister Netanyahu should immediately establish an independent Israeli commission of inquiry to investigate all allegations of Israeli violations of human rights and international law. Netanyahu must also commit to implementing the commission’s recommendations. In doing so, he can help prevent the next war before it begins. 

This summer, an estimated 2,100 Palestinians and 73 Israelis were killed. So long as the Netanyahu government continues to pursue failed policies, the crisis in Gaza will deepen. This could further destabilize the region and directly threaten the health, safety and security of all Israelis and Palestinians. 

As Israel’s most important ally, the U.S. government should use this opportunity to advise Netanyahu to do the right thing for Israel and its citizens. Congress should request answers to the questions raised in these reports and call for an Israeli commission of inquiry to be launched and listened to. Otherwise, they fall prey to the distortions of the man behind the curtain.

Goldstein is the executive director of Physicians for Human Rights – Israel.