3 August, 2002

Council for Arab-British Understanding
1 Gough Square
London EC4A 3DE

T: 020 7832 1310
F: 020 7832 1329

Bloodbath

(Following your headline, 'Bloodbath' following the deaths of three Israeli civilians yesterday, I wondered what you headline would read today - omitted due to shortage of space) On Wednesday, by 12.30pm, seven Palestinians had been killed in Gaza after Israeli military operations. They used Jets, helicopters, gunboats and tanks on a civilian population. The use of such brutal tactics against a civilian population is illegal in international law. Article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, regarding the treatment of civilians in occupied areas states "No protected person may be punished for an offence he or she has not personally committed. Collective penalties and likewise, all measures of intimidation or of terrorism are prohibited" Is this a 'Bloodbath' as well?