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del.icio.us Digg It!  new Last update - 02:03 25/12/2007 IDF won't take legal action against officers for firing cluster bombs in Lebanon By Haaretz Correspondents and AP , By Amos Harel and Yuval Azoulay The Israel Defense Forces will not take legal action against senior officers who were involved in the firing of cluster bombs into populated areas in southern Lebanon during the Second Lebanon War, the Military Advocate General (MAG) said yesterday. Brigadier General Avihai Mandelblit acknowledged that cluster bombs were fired into populated areas, but said that this did not constitute a criminal violation. Advertisement Mandelblit also decided against taking any disciplinary action, in part because those involved, including Major General Udi Adam, GOC Northern Command during the war, have retired from the IDF. MAG also said that the IDF shooting was conducted in an effort to stop the continued launch of Katyusha rockets against Israel's civilian population. Mandelblit is the third officer examining this issue, whose focus revolved around the legality of firing cluster bombs into populated areas. These probes were initiated following Lebanese claims, which the U.S. administration sought to verify, that many civilians became cluster bomb casualties. In Beirut, a Lebanese government official rejected Mandelblit's decision, saying that the decision "indicates that there is no difference between the judicial authority and political authority in Israel. They all work to commit and cover up crimes which are against humanity." The IDF used three main types of cluster munitions in the war: those dropped through air force bombs; others fired through artillery; and in rockets fired by the Multiple Launch Rocket System. In the past Israel had promised to the U.S., which provided the ammunition, not to use cluster bombs against populated areas. Wartime Chief of Staff Dan Halutz issued similar restrictions, on a number of occasions, to Northern Command. However, in practice the IDF fired thousands of cluster munitions during the war, some of which targeted populated areas. During the IDF investigation it emerged that the air force did not violate the instructions, but the artillery and rocket batteries, commanded by the Northern Command officers, did fire into populated areas. Most of the ammunition was used to target fields near populated areas, where Hezbollah was known to have bunkers and other positions used to launch Katyushas. However, in some instances, the batteries also fired into populated areas, contrary to Halutz's orders. MAG concluded that the use of cluster munitions is permissible under international law and noted that Western armies use this type of weapon. Mandelblit said that cluster munitions are the sole effective means for countering the threat of the Katyusha rockets, in instances where ground forces are not used to take over the launch sites. MAG says that the firing was executed in areas where the launch of Katyushas was identified with certainty, and that the shooting was not meant to disrupt the lives of civilians in the populated areas. The violation from regulations occured, Mandelblit says, when Northern Command did not obey the specific orders issued by the Chief of Staff. Bookmark to del.icio.us Aliyah from Iran A group of 40 new immigrants from Iran touched down in Israel on Tuesday. Race to White House Top Republican candidate Mike Huckabee supports dialogue with Iran.

Today Online Ministers lean toward freeing prisoners with 'blood on their hands' Responses: 85 J'lem Latin Patriarch: Occupying power must see to peace Responses: 92 Foreign Ministry: Syria feels peace must wait for next U.S. president Responses: 70 Olmert plans to streamline conversion system for immigrants Responses: 60 Rosner: Ron Paul insists Israel pushing Americans into Iran Responses: 303 IDF won't charge officers who fired cluster bombs in Lebanon war Responses: 240 More Headlines 21:28 Olmert to Assad: Israel awaits your response on reviving talks 21:07 Egypt: Livni should keep quiet on arms smuggling into Gaza Strip 02:08 Court slams state for not providing Gaza power cuts data 17:33 Sneh: Budget fails to address security threat to home front 21:39 Israel welcomes largest group of Iran olim since Islamic Revolution 02:36 Civilians from military firms to be trained to operate flying drones 02:55 Lecturers shocked as universities opt for legal action to end strike 01:49 15 people, including seven doctors, arrested in insurance fraud case 18:43 Masked settlers beat Palestinian farmers near Nablus Previous Editions Select Day 25 dec 24 dec 23 dec 21 dec 20 dec 19 dec 18 dec 17 dec 16 dec 14 dec 13 dec 12 dec

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