Red Cross: Israel's Use of White Phosphorus Not Illegal

Truth will not deter anti-Semites from criticizing, no doubt!

This is a follow up to a story in the Say Anything Reader Blogs: Israel Using Chemical Weapons.

GENEVA – The international Red Cross said Tuesday that Israel has fired white phosphorus shells in its offensive in the Gaza Strip, but has no evidence to suggest it is being used improperly or illegally.

The comments came after a human rights organization accused the Jewish state of using the incendiary agent, which ignites when it strikes the skin and burns straight through or until it is cut off from oxygen. It can cause horrific injuries.

The International Committee of the Red Cross urged Israel to exercise "extreme caution" in using the incendiary agent, which is used to illuminate targets at night or create a smoke screen for day attacks, said Peter Herby, the head of the organization's mines-arms unit.

"In some of the strikes in Gaza it's pretty clear that phosphorus was used," Herby told The Associated Press. "But it's not very unusual to use phosphorus to create smoke or illuminate a target. We have no evidence to suggest it's being used in any other way."

Ironically, the last sentence in the article on the ICRC is:

White phosphorus is not considered a chemical weapon.

I'm sure the author of the Reader blog will print a retraction or correction of his earlier story.

Hat tip LGF
Cross Posted at Say Anything