On Monday, December 11, U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller stated that the Biden administration has requested explanations from Israel regarding reports of the use of "white phosphorus" in bombings in southern Lebanon. During a press conference, Miller described the reports as concerning but added that this substance has legitimate military applications. According to him, its illegitimate use is against civilians. White phosphorus is a chemical substance that can burn human skin down to the bone and can incapacitate vital organs when absorbed into the body. Even inhaling it can lead to death. Protocol III of the "Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons" prohibits the use of "incendiary" weapons against civilians, and for a weapon to be considered incendiary, it must be designed for that purpose from the outset. Militaries primarily use it to create smoke to blind the enemy's vision in artillery shells, bombs, rockets, or grenades. Another application is to illuminate an area or target, which does not fall under the mentioned convention. In any case, Israel has not signed that convention. Miller emphasized that whenever the United States provides weapons to another country, it expects them to be used in accordance with international war laws and international humanitarian laws. The State Department spokesperson stated that this expectation also applies to artillery shells sold to Israel. The Biden administration has provided Israel with 14,000 artillery shells under a special war law without prior congressional approval due to Israel's urgent needs, and this has now come under scrutiny given the high civilian casualty rates. The U.S. State Department spokesperson stated that Israel is not exempt from the U.S. condition and expectation regarding how American weapons are used. Some human rights organizations claim that the level of civilian casualties in Gaza could be considered a crime against humanity or a war crime.
The U.S. Expects Israel to Use Received Weapons in Accordance with International War Laws
The U.S. has expressed concern over Israel's reported use of white phosphorus in Lebanon and has requested explanations from Israel. This situation raises questions about the legality of Israel's military actions and the implications for U.S. arms sales. The high civilian casualties in Gaza have led to calls for accountability and scrutiny of U.S. military support.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
The U.S. has raised concerns over Israel's reported use of white phosphorus in Lebanon and has requested explanations from Israel regarding this issue. This scrutiny comes amid high civilian casualties in Gaza and the U.S. expectation that military aid is used in compliance with international law.
- White phosphorus can cause severe injuries and is controversial in its use during conflicts.
- The U.S. has provided Israel with 14,000 artillery shells under special war law, which is now being questioned.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
White phosphorus is a controversial substance used in warfare, and its use against civilians is prohibited by international law. The U.S. has historically supported Israel militarily, but increasing civilian casualties have prompted calls for accountability.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →
Translation confidence: 85%