This accusation was also voiced in 2019 sessions in statements by Djibouti, the Gulf Cooperation Countries (GCC), Iraq, Nigeria and North Korea.
This accusation was also voiced in 2019 sessions in statements by Djibouti, the Gulf Cooperation Countries (GCC), Iraq, Nigeria and North Korea.
“We condemn…the excessive use of force against civilians.”
“Mr. President, the civilian protesters who do not constitute any threat to life in Gaza continue to be subjected to lethal power by the occupying Power…”
“China opposes the use of force and condemns the violent acts against civilians.”
Framing the Gaza border events as civilian “distorts reality,” said military law expert Lt. Col. Geoffrey Korn at the UN Human Rights Council, at a side event hosted by UN Watch in March 2019. “What happened at that border, I think most rational observers would agree, was not an overall civilian protest, but the use of a civilian protest as a tactic in an ongoing armed conflict between Israel and Hamas.”[1]
Indeed, classifying the border confrontations as a civilian protest ignores crucial evidence that the “March of Return” was in fact used as a cover for militant activities that were intended to harm Israeli soldiers and civilians. The voluminous evidence includes:
For more information on the Gaza border confrontation, see UN Watch’s December 2018 submission to the COI on Gaza[13]; Rebuttal to the COI on Gaza[14]; and Response to the Gaza COI February 2019 press conference.[15]
[1] Renowned Law of War expert Geoffrey Corn testifies against biased UN report, UN Watch (March 18, 2019), https://unwatch.org/renowned-law-of-war-expert-geoffrey-corn-testifies-against-biased-un-report/.
[2] David Halbfinger and Iyad Abuheweila, As Gaza tears on precipice, a Hamas leader speaks out, New York Times (May 10, 2018), https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/10/world/middleeast/gaza-protests-yehya-sinwar.html.
[3] Senior Hamas Official Mahmoud Al-Zahar on Gaza Protests: This Is Not Peaceful Resistance, It Is Supported By Our Weapons, MEMRI (May 13, 2018), https://www.memri.org/tv/senior-hamas-official-mahmoud-zahhar-on-gaza-protests-this-is-not-peaceful-resistance.
[4] Lt. Col. (ret.) Jonathan D. Halevi, Why Is Hamas So Interested in Palestinian Deaths? Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs (May 16, 2018), https://jcpa.org/article/why-hamas-interested-palestinian-deaths/.
[5] Members of Gaza “Fence Cutters’ Unit” Proclaims: Victory or Martyrdom! – Scenes from Gaza “Return March,” MEMRI (April 27, 2018), https://www.memri.org/tv/fence-cutters-unit-gaza-proclaims-victory-or-martyrom.
[6] Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques Zilberdik, “Bring a knife, dagger, or handgun,” kidnap Israeli civilians, and murder soldiers and settlers – Instructions on Facebook to Gazans for “March of Return,” Palestinian Media Watch (May 16, 2018), https://palwatch.org/page/14246.
[7] Findings of the ITIC’s examination of the identity of Palestinians killed in the events of the “Great Return March,” Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center (May 28, 2018), https://www.terrorism-info.org.il/en/findings-itics-examination-identity-palestinians-killed-events-great-return-march-march-30-2018-may-15-2018/.
[8] @JTruzmah, Twitter (May 14, 2018, 10:27 AM), https://twitter.com/Jtruzmah/status/995928538661376000.
[9] @JTruzmah, Twitter (May 19, 2018, 9:37 AM), https://twitter.com/Jtruzmah/status/997728018381488128.
[10] @PalinfoAr, Twitter (May 16, 2018, 12:27 AM), https://twitter.com/PalinfoAr/status/996502411744370688.
[11] The ‘Great Return March’ Campaign: An Initiative Sponsored By Hamas, Whose Goal Was To Breach The Border Fence, Penetrate Israeli Territory, MEMRI (May 18, 2018), https://www.memri.org/reports/great-return-march-campaign-initiative-sponsored-hamas-whose-goal-was-breach-border-fence.
[12] Hamas Political bureau Member Salah Al-Bardawil: 50 of the Martyrs Killed in Gaza were from Hamas, 12 Regular People, MEMRI (May 16, 2018), https://www.memri.org/tv/hamas-politburo-member-bardawil-fifty-martyrs-were-hamas-members.
[13] Submission to United Nations Commission of Inquiry on the 2018 Protests in the Occupied Palestinian Territory Established Pursuant to UNHRC Resolution S-28/1, UN Watch (December 9, 2018), https://unwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Submission-to-Gaza-COI-United-Nations-Watch.pdf.
[14] Breaking: UN Watch rejects findings of today’s report by UN Commission of Inquiry on Gaza violence, UN Watch (March 5, 2019), https://unwatch.org/breaking-un-watch-rejects-findings-todays-report-un-commission-inquiry-gaza-violence/.
[15] UN Watch response to press conference of UN Commission of Inquiry on Gaza, UN Watch (March 2019), https://unwatch.org/un-watchs-response-press-conference-un-commission-inquiry-gaza/.
UN Watch is a non-profit organization dedicated to holding the United Nations accountable to its founding principles. UN Watch is funded entirely by charitable donations
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