Reactions to the detonations

The nature of the attack raises questions about the laws of war

The pagers and com radios detonated in Lebanon raise questions about the laws of war. Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of people in Lebanon may have unknowingly carried around small, ticking bombs in their pockets, writes TT.

The scale of the attack is unprecedented and means that the legal questions will increase, according to Jann Kleffner, professor of international law at the Defense University in Stockholm.

- Simply put, you can only direct attacks against military targets - not civilians. Here it is difficult to know, Kleffner tells the news agency.

Kleffner points out that Hezbollah, branded as a terrorist, not only consists of armed forces, but also has a strong role in politics and social life in Lebanon.

Both he and international law expert Ove Bring raise the issue of proportionality and how many civilians have been injured.

- I am not prepared to say that it was legal or illegal in its entirety, because I know too little about the damaging effect on those who were not affiliated with Hezbollah, Bring tells DN.

The laws of war

Civilians may not be attacked in armed conflicts and must be protected, according to principles of international law agreed upon by the international community.
The laws of war – formally international humanitarian law – aim to spare combatants, wounded, prisoners of war and civilians unnecessary suffering. The core consists of the four so-called Geneva Conventions from 1949, which have been ratified by nearly 200 states. Both governmental and non-governmental actors are covered by the laws.
Key words are distinction (separation between civilians and combatants), proportionality (the military significance of strikes must be weighed against the risks they pose to civilians) and precaution (all parties must take all possible precautions to ensure that strikes are directed only at military targets).
The fact that non-civilians reside among civilians does not mean that the group as a whole can be considered a legitimate target. Nor may the civilian population be used as so-called human shields to defend against attacks.
The special protective emblem of healthcare must be respected and the warring parties must do what they can to facilitate humanitarian efforts.
Source: UN, Red Cross and National Encyclopedia - compiled by TT