LONDON: Two major international nongovernmental organizations have found that Israel’s claim that it abides by US humanitarian laws regarding weapons transfer is not credible.
Human Rights Watch and Oxfam in their findings submitted to the US government on Tuesday urged President Joe Biden to follow US law and immediately suspend transfers of weapons to Israel.
The two NGOs jointly submitted the report after carrying out investigations into application of US National Security Memorandum-20 by Israel.
Under the law any country that gets weapons transfers from the US must avoid violations of global humanitarian law and arbitrary blocking of US humanitarian aid.
The organizations said during their investigations of Israeli activities in Gaza and Lebanon since October, they found substantial evidence that Israel has failed to meet NSM-20 requirements.
Sarah Yager, HRW’s Washington director said there are a good number of reasons why US law bans arms support for governments that block life-saving assistance or violate international law with US arms.
She said that Israel’s assurances to the US administration that it is following all US legal obligations are not credible.
The report quoted several violations of international humanitarian law by Israel, including strikes on major hospitals in Gaza and the use of US-supplied white phosphorus munitions.
Israel systematically blocking humanitarian assistance for Gaza
According to the report Israel had engaged in systematic blocking of humanitarian assistance, including aid sent by the US, from reaching about 300,000 Palestinians in Gaza.
HRW and Oxfam added water infrastructure in the besieged enclave has also been destroyed by intense bombardment, another clear violation of humanitarian law.
The NGOs blamed Israel for submitting fraudulent assurances to the US State Department regarding its compliance to NSM-20.
Under the NSM-20 requirements, nations supplied with American weapons must submit assurances to the departments of State and Defense, to be evaluated top officials.
However, it seems from the public statements made by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, they have accepted the Israeli assurances, despite strong evidence of humanitarian violations in Gaza and Lebanon.
The HRW and Oxfam suggested both US officials to also consider expected future violations when assessing the credibility of the submissions by Israel.
The report also assessed growing international concerns of a looming famine in northern Gaza.
Scott Paul, associate director for peace and security at Oxfam America, said: The time has long passed for the Biden administration to end lethal arms sales to Israel, and we call on them to do so now and work to end the death and suffering in Gaza.
