Flooding South Lebanon - Human Rights Watch

Human Rights Watch field research corroborated the widespread use of cluster
munitions in population centers. In the first week after the ceasefire, Human Rights
Watch visited about 30 villages and towns that the IDF attacked with cluster
munitions and visited more than a dozen more in October. Cluster munitions landed
in large villages such as Tebnine and Nabatiyah. Towns that were especially hard hit
include: Ain B’al, Bar’achit, Bint Jbeil, Majdel Selm, Kfar Tebnit, Sawane, Srifa,
Tebnine, Yohmor, Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh, and Zawtar al-Sharkiyeh.
The IDF has since acknowledged that it targeted built-up areas with cluster munitions.
A statement released by the IDF Spokesman’s Office in November 2006 said that
“the use of cluster munitions against built-up areas was done only against military
targets where rocket launches against Israel were identified and after taking steps to
warn the civilian population.” 118 In July 2007, IDF lawyers reiterated this position in a
meeting with Human Rights Watch. “In cases where there was a need to direct
cluster munitions toward the vicinity of a built-up area, they were always directed
toward places where rockets were shot from toward Israel. It was always after
messages to leave the area and then we made sure distinction and proportionality
were applied,” Major Tuval said. 119 She added, “Even if they were used in the vicinity
of built-up areas, it was much less than necessary. Operational considerations were
hurt because of our efforts.” 120
The IDF statement in December 2007 reporting the results of the second internal
inquiry echoed these statements. It said that investigating officer Maj. Gen. Gershon
HaCohen found that “cluster munitions were fired by the IDF on built-up areas only in
direct response to Hizbullah’s firing of rockets from within those areas….
Furthermore, the munitions were fired on villages only when the forces understood
them to have been almost completely evacuated, hence the anticipated harm to
civilians was small.” 121
118 Nir Hasson and Meron Rapoport, “IDF Admits Targeting Civilian Areas with Cluster Bombs,” Ha’aretz, November 21, 2006.
119 Human Rights Watch interview with Maj. Dorit Tuval, head of the strategic section, International Law Department, IDF, Tel
Aviv, Israel, July 2, 2007.
120 Ibid.
121 Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, “Opinion of the Military Advocate General Regarding Use of Cluster Munitions in Second
Lebanon War.”
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Human Rights Watch February 2008