By JTA World News Service, other
Attorneys general from 10 states defended Israel’s military action in the Gaza Strip in a letter sent to U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.
The letter, sent last month, also condemned Hamas for what it called “war crimes” for its bomb attacks on civilian targets in southern Israel.
The attorneys general wrote that “By intentionally targeting 6,300 rockets against Israel’s civilian population, Hamas is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt of a war crime in that it has violated … the Geneva Convention of 1949.” The letter notes that the Geneva Convention provides that parties in a conflict must distinguish between civilians and combatants, and civilian and military objectives, and “direct their operations only against military objectives.”
“In addition to its war crimes committed against the Israeli civilian population, Hamas has also committed atrocities against the Palestinian civilian population under its control in Gaza by using these civilians as shields for its criminal conduct,” the letter continued.
The America-Israel Friendship League said in a statement that it welcomed the letter by the attorneys general, calling it “a strong rejoinder to those who have castigated Israel over its role in Gaza and used it in an attempt to delegitimize the Jewish State.”
Several of the attorneys general have visited Israel through an educational exchange program conducted by the league, which offers American officials the chance to become familiar with Israel’s legal framework, security issues and commitment to the rule of law.
According to Washington State Attorney General Rob McKenna’s office, however, they have received at least 27 responses since last Friday criticizing McKenna’s signing of the letter. McKenna’s media relations manager Dan Sytman called the response “considerable in such a short time period.”
McKenna told JTNews he was unsurprised by the response.
“The issue of Israel and the Palestinians is among the most emotional in the world and American politics, with deeply held feelings on both sides,” he said. “All of us who signed it felt that the criticism of Israel was unfair and that their defensive action was justified under international law.”
McKenna visited Israel and the Palestinian territories in January 2008, and said he felt that given the points made in the letter and Hamas’ intent to make war on Israel, he was happy to sign the letter.
The 10 attorneys general represent the states of Colorado, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Nebraska, Ohio, Rhode Island, Utah and Washington.
JTNews editor Joel Magalnick contributed to this report.