I was watching, as many others undoubtedly did, the destruction of the mosque in Beit-Lahiya. It was disconcerting. I wish it didn’t happen. I wish further that Hamas would avoid using mosques, homes, schools and hospitals as warehouses for explosives.
I went and checked under the Geneva Convention, and was surprise to realize that the Geneva Convention covers prisoners of war, and that the Laws of War are covered by the “Laws and Customs of War on Land (Hague II); July 29, 1899″. The following is a quote from the Hague Convention.
Article 27
In sieges and bombardments all necessary steps should be taken to spare as far as possible edifices devoted to religion, art, science, and charity, hospitals, and places where the sick and wounded are collected, provided they are not used at the same time for military purposes.
The besieged should indicate these buildings or places by some particular and visible signs, which should previously be notified to the assailants.
What a terrible dilemma. Intelligence is collected at great risk, indications are clear: the mosque is armed to the teeth. The arms have clear targets. Israeli civilians. You bomb the mosque, you are damned for bombing a place where people practice their religion. You don’t, and you’re damned for putting your own civilian population at risk. Knowingly. Damned if you do. Damned if you don’t. Welcome to the Middle East.
I’ve been watching all this in the news of course but reading your blog entries makes it all much more personal and real. Thank you for sharing your perspective.
I’m keeping you and everyone there in my prayers.