International reactions to the 2006 Qana airstrike
Encyclopedia
International relations
International relations is the study of relationships between countries, including the roles of states, inter-governmental organizations , international nongovernmental organizations , non-governmental organizations and multinational corporations...
to the 2006 Qana airstrike
2006 Qana airstrike
The 2006 Qana Massacre was an attack by the Israel Air Force on a three-story building in the small community of al-Khuraybah near the South Lebanese village of Qana on July 30, 2006, during the 2006 Lebanon War in which 28 civilians were killed, of which 16 were children...
, which saw the greatest loss of civilian life in the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict
2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict
The 2006 Lebanon War, also called the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah War and known in Lebanon as the July War #Other uses|Tammūz]]) and in Israel as the Second Lebanon War , was a 34-day military conflict in Lebanon, northern Israel and the Israeli-occupied territories. The principal parties were Hezbollah...
, twenty eight deaths with thirteen missing, largely involved the condemnation of Israel by many countries around the globe, bringing about a supposed 48 hours cessation of air operations by the Israeli Air Force
Israeli Air Force
The Israeli Air Force is the air force of the State of Israel and the aerial arm of the Israel Defense Forces. It was founded on May 28, 1948, shortly after the Israeli Declaration of Independence...
. Bombings resumed only a few hours after the start of the cessation of air operations.
Reactions
- United Nations Secretary-GeneralUnited Nations Secretary-General
The Secretary-General of the United Nations is the head of the Secretariat of the United Nations, one of the principal organs of the United Nations. The Secretary-General also acts as the de facto spokesperson and leader of the United Nations....
Kofi Annan
Kofi Annan
Kofi Atta Annan is a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the UN from 1 January 1997 to 31 December 2006...
called an emergency Security Council meeting Sunday at the request of Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora where a French draft resolution, including an immediate cease-fire, was discussed. In the meeting, Annan said: "we must condemn this action in the strongest possible terms ... I am deeply dismayed that my earlier calls for immediate cessation of hostilities were not heeded, with the result that innocent life continues to be taken and innocent civilians continue to suffer."
Lebanon
- The Lebanese government has asked Condoleezza RiceCondoleezza Rice
Condoleezza Rice is an American political scientist and diplomat. She served as the 66th United States Secretary of State, and was the second person to hold that office in the administration of President George W. Bush...
to cancel a visit to Lebanon insisting that they will only negotiate an immediate, unconditional cease-fire. Lebanese Defence Minister Elias Murr
Elias Murr
Elias Murr is the former Lebanese Defense Minister and Deputy Prime Minister. He held the positions of Deputy Prime minister and Interior Minister in previous Cabinets....
disputed allegations that Hezbollah was firing missiles from Qana and said "What do you expect Israel to say? Will it say that it killed 40 children and women?"
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- Hezbollah - Stated that "this horrific massacre will not go without a response."
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Israel
- Israeli UN Ambassador Dan GillermanDan Gillerman
Dan Gillerman was Israel's 13th Permanent Representative to the United Nations. He was appointed in July 2002 and assumed his post on January 1, 2003, serving through 2008.- Education :...
said that it was a "horrible, tragic incident." Gillerman said the dead were "victims of Hezbollah," which he said was using civilian buildings as cover to launch rockets into Israel. Israeli Government spokeswoman Miri Eisen said that Israel is "deeply sorry" for what had happened, and claimed that there would be an investigation in Israel to find out how the airstrike could have happened.
Greater Middle East
- League's Secretary-General said that "The attacks that Israeli forces are launching targeting civilians and the Lebanese infrastructure are another confirmation of Israeli aggressive intentions."- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement where it condemned "this criminal act that nothing could justify", and asked for an immediate and unconditional cease-fire.
- President of Egypt
President of Egypt
The President of the Arab Republic of Egypt is the head of state of Egypt.Under the Constitution of Egypt, the president is also the supreme commander of the armed forces and head of the executive branch of the Egyptian government....
Hosni Mubarak
Hosni Mubarak
Muhammad Hosni Sayyid Mubarak is a former Egyptian politician and military commander. He served as the fourth President of Egypt from 1981 to 2011....
stated that "The Arab Republic of Egypt expresses its profound alarm and its condemnation of the irresponsible Israeli bombing of the Lebanese village of Qana, which resulted in innocent casualties, mostly women and children."
- Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani
Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani
Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Ali al-Husayni al-Sistani is the highest-ranking Twelver Shia marja in Iraq and the leader of the Hawza of Najaf.-Early life:Sistani was born in Mashhad, Iran, to a family of religious scholars who traced their roots to Isfahan...
, Iraq's
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
top Shia cleric, stated, "Islamic nations will not forgive the entities that hinder a cease-fire." He added, "It is not possible to stand helpless in front of this Israeli aggression on Lebanon. If an immediate cease-fire in this Israeli aggression is not imposed, dire consequences will befall the region."
- Jordanian King Abdullah II condemned "the ugly crime perpetrated by Israeli forces in Qana that is a gross violation of all international statutes."
- Jassem AlKharafi, the parliament speaker of Kuwait, condemned the attacks and quoted that "the Israel 'savage and barbaric' aggression on Lebanon surpassed all moral and humanitarian limits and formed a disregard of international law and human rights and the world community". Kuwait Prime Minister Nasser Al-Mohammed Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah
Nasser Al-Mohammed Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah
Nasser Mohammed Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah is a Kuwaiti politician who was the Prime Minister of Kuwait from 7 February 2006 until his resignation on 29 November 2011...
also condemned the attacks.
- Palestinian President
President of the Palestinian National Authority
The President of the Palestinian National Authority is the highest-ranking political position in the Palestinian National Authority ....
Mahmoud Abbas
Mahmoud Abbas
Mahmoud Abbas , also known by the kunya Abu Mazen , has been the Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organisation since 11 November 2004 and became President of the Palestinian National Authority on 15 January 2005 on the Fatah ticket.Elected to serve until 9 January 2009, he unilaterally...
stated that "what happened in Qana is an ugly massacre. It is a new Israeli crime that it be immediately stopped for the protection of civilian life."
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- HamasHamasHamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
- A Hamas legislatorPalestinian Legislative CouncilThe Palestinian Legislative Council, the legislature of the Palestinian Authority, is a unicameral body with 132 members, elected from 16 electoral districts in the West Bank and Gaza...
said that "In the face of this open war against the Arab and Muslim nations all options are open, including striking the depth of the Zionist entity."
- Hamas
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- The Saharawi government considered that "the use of violence and the policy of the colonial fait accompli through the occupation of the territories, slaughter and terror against the helpless citizens are contradictory with morals, laws and customs of humanity, and against the international legality", according to a press release that also expressed "its solidarity with the Lebanese people in this tragedy because of the slaughter perpetrated by the Israeli forces against the village of Qana, and the support in its struggle for the defence of its independence and territorial sovereignty" and "its solidarity with the Palestinian people, who faces the aggressions perpetrated by the Israeli forces, urging for an urgent enablement of this people to exercise their right to self-determination and to have their independent state".
- Syrian U.N. Ambassador Bashar Jaafari stated that "These bombs ... are American bombs. They call them laser-guided bombs but actually they are hatred-guided bombs, and unfortunately these bombs are made in the U.S.A." Syrian President Bashar al-Assad
Bashar al-Assad
Bashar al-Assad is the President of Syria and Regional Secretary of the Ba'ath Party. His father Hafez al-Assad ruled Syria for 29 years until his death in 2000. Al-Assad was elected in 2000, re-elected in 2007, unopposed each time.- Early Life :...
also said:"The massacre committed by Israel in Qana this morning shows the barbarity of this aggressive entity. It constitutes state terrorism committed in front of the eyes and ears of the world."
- The country expressed "its condemnation on this criminal act."
- called the event an "ugly massacre."
Americas
- The Secretary General of the OAS, José Miguel InsulzaJosé Miguel Insulza
José Miguel Insulza Salinas is a Chilean politician and statesman. He is currently the Secretary General of the Organization of American States. He is nicknamed El Panzer, for his tank-like drive and reputation due to his ability to take political heat with little apparent damage...
released a statement condemning "the death of innocent civilians, especially children, in Qana, Lebanon, as a result of Israeli bombing." The statement also called for immediate cessation of hostilities by all parties.
- President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva , known popularly as Lula, served as the 35th President of Brazil from 2003 to 2010.A founding member of the Workers' Party , he ran for President three times unsuccessfully, first in the 1989 election. Lula achieved victory in the 2002 election, and was inaugurated as...
said he rejected "the acts of indiscriminate violence and the use of military force against civilian targets by all parties" in the conflict.
- Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay
Peter MacKay
Peter Gordon MacKay, PC, QC, MP is a lawyer and politician from Nova Scotia, Canada. He is the Member of Parliament for Central Nova and currently serves as Minister of National Defence in the Cabinet of Canada....
said, "These are very tragic circumstances. The people of Lebanon and Israel have been profoundly affected by the bombing... The tragedy is really for civilians. The infrastructure has been devastated in parts of Lebanon, particularly the south." Prime Minister Stephen Harper
Stephen Harper
Stephen Joseph Harper is the 22nd and current Prime Minister of Canada and leader of the Conservative Party. Harper became prime minister when his party formed a minority government after the 2006 federal election...
made it clear Canada supported Israel's military campaign against Hezbollah militants in Lebanon. http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&pubid=968163964505&cid=1154339411277&col=968705899037&call_page=TS_World&call_pageid=968332188854&call_pagepath=News/World Michael Ignatieff
Michael Ignatieff
Michael Grant Ignatieff is a Canadian author, academic and former politician. He was the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and Leader of the Official Opposition from 2008 until 2011...
, then the leading candidate for the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
, caused controversy by saying that while the deaths were tragic, he "wasn't losing sleep" over them http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060810/ignatieff_mideast_060810?s_name=&no_ads=; he later caused additional controversy by referring to the airstrike as a "war crime
War crime
War crimes are serious violations of the laws applicable in armed conflict giving rise to individual criminal responsibility...
" http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2006/10/11/ignatieff-defection.html.
Foreign Minister Alejandro Foxley
Alejandro Foxley
Alejandro Tomás Foxley Rioseco is a Chilean economist and politician. He was the Foreign Minister of Chile from 2006 to 2009 and previously served as Minister of Finance from 1990 to 1994 and leader of the Christian Democrat Party from 1994 to 1996.-Education and personal life:Foxley received a...
released a statement saying "We desire an immediate cease fire and withdrawal of invading forces from Lebanon."
's Foreign Ministry "condemned the tactics used by Hezbollah such as launching rockets at civilians in Israel, as much as those by Israel against Lebanon described as a disproportionate use of force."
- United States Secretary of State
United States Secretary of State
The United States Secretary of State is the head of the United States Department of State, concerned with foreign affairs. The Secretary is a member of the Cabinet and the highest-ranking cabinet secretary both in line of succession and order of precedence...
Condoleezza Rice
Condoleezza Rice
Condoleezza Rice is an American political scientist and diplomat. She served as the 66th United States Secretary of State, and was the second person to hold that office in the administration of President George W. Bush...
announced that she postponed her visit to Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
, adding that:"We [the United States Government] want a ceasefire as soon as possible, I would have wanted a ceasefire yesterday if possible, but the parties have to agree to a ceasefire and there have to be certain conditions in place... Any ceasefire has to have circumstances that are going to be acceptable to the parties." President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
said the United States "mourns the loss of innocent life" and that all parties with a stake in the Mideast conflict "must work together to achieve a sustainable peace." The Bush administration has refused to call for an immediate cease-fire, with officials saying they want a "sustainable" end to hostilities—one that includes efforts to prevent future Hezbollah attacks against Israel.
Vice President Jose Vicente Rangel
José Vicente Rangel
José Vicente Rangel Vale is a Venezuelan leftist politician. He ran for President three times in the 1970s and 1980s and later supported Hugo Chávez, successively becoming Foreign Minister, Defense Minister, and Vice President in Chávez's government.-Political activism:His political activism began...
said, "This murder of dozens of women and children has no justification whatsoever." The UN and other powerful nations shared blame for the attack because they had responded to Israel's military campaign in Palestine and Lebanon with "silence and omissions."
Asia
- The foreign minister of Bangladesh called the attacks State TerrorismState terrorism
State terrorism may refer to acts of terrorism conducted by a state against a foreign state or people. It can also refer to acts of violence by a state against its own people.-Definition:...
. - The Iranian Foreign Ministry stated that "The Qana bombing is the outcome of Rice's trip to the region. Some American officials should be put on trial for the crimes in Lebanon.". - The country's External Affairs Ministry issued the following statement: "India strongly condemns the continued irresponsible and indiscriminate bombing of Lebanon by the Israeli military, ignoring calls for restraint." - The government of Japan issued the following statement: "The Government of Japan strongly deplores the incident on July 30 in which many Lebanese civilians including children were killed by an Israel Air Force strike despite the repeated calls for Israel's self-restraint by the international society." It also called for an immediate cease-fire. - Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz
Shaukat Aziz
Shaukat Aziz is a world acclaimed Pakistani economist who was the 15th Prime Minister of Pakistan from May 20, 2004 to 15 November 2007 in a joint military government led by General Pervez Musharraf. A Citibank executive, Aziz returned to Pakistan from the United States to be became Finance...
said "the Pakistani government and people strongly condemn this sad incident, which is clearly unwarranted aggression, and calls for an immediate ceasefire." - Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said that the PRC "strongly condemns [the air strike]," adding that "the Lebanese-Israeli conflict has already created a serious humanitarian disaster in Lebanon" and that "China strongly calls for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in order to prevent the creation of an even greater disaster." - Singaporean officials have condemned the attacks, calling for the UN to swiftly get a ceasefire ready. - The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade released a statement expressing regret at the loss of life by the Israeli airstrikes. It also called on the government of Lebanon to make efforts to return kidnapped Israeli soldiers.
Europe
- EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, Javier SolanaJavier Solana
Francisco Javier Solana de Madariaga, KOGF is a Spanish physicist and Socialist politician. After serving in the Spanish government under Felipe González and Secretary General of NATO , he was appointed the European Union's High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy, Secretary...
, said that he has "talked to the Prime Minister of Lebanon ... I have expressed to him my profound dismay and deep sorrow at the attack and the death of innocent civilians in Qana. Nothing can justify that."
- French President Jacques Chirac
Jacques Chirac
Jacques René Chirac is a French politician who served as President of France from 1995 to 2007. He previously served as Prime Minister of France from 1974 to 1976 and from 1986 to 1988 , and as Mayor of Paris from 1977 to 1995.After completing his studies of the DEA's degree at the...
said that "France condemns this unjustifiable action, which shows more than ever the need to move toward an immediate cease-fire."
- British Foreign Secretary
Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, commonly referred to as the Foreign Secretary, is a senior member of Her Majesty's Government heading the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and regarded as one of the Great Offices of State...
Margaret Beckett
Margaret Beckett
Margaret Mary Beckett is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Derby South since 1983, rising to become the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party under John Smith, from 18 July 1992 to 12 May 1994, and briefly serving as Leader of the Party following Smith's death...
stated: "It's absolutely dreadful, it's quite appalling. We have repeatedly urged Israel to act proportionately."
- Foreign minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier
Frank-Walter Steinmeier
Frank-Walter Steinmeier is a German politician of the Social Democratic Party of Germany , and currently the leader of the opposition in the Bundestag. Steinmeier was a close aide of Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, serving as Chief of Staff in the German Chancellery from 1999 to 2005...
stated that "the highest priority must now be a cease-fire as quickly as possible," and expressed "horror" of the deaths.
- Foreign Ministry spokesman Giorgos Koumoutsakos stated: "We are filled with repugnance and deep sadness. ... Now the need for an immediate cease-fire is more pressing than ever."
- The Irish Taoiseach
Taoiseach
The Taoiseach is the head of government or prime minister of Ireland. The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas , and must, in order to remain in office, retain the support of a majority in the Dáil.The current Taoiseach is...
Bertie Ahern
Bertie Ahern
Patrick Bartholomew "Bertie" Ahern is a former Irish politician who served as Taoiseach of Ireland from 26 June 1997 to 7 May 2008....
condemned the attack saying he was shocked and appalled at the heavy loss of life and that an immediate ceasefire is urgently needed. He called the attack "despicable".
- Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi
Romano Prodi
Romano Prodi is an Italian politician and statesman. He served as the Prime Minister of Italy, from 17 May 1996 to 21 October 1998 and from 17 May 2006 to 8 May 2008...
said: "I truly hope that a road to peace is found again."
- The Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jonas Gahr Støre
Jonas Gahr Støre
Jonas Gahr Støre is the Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs, having been appointed to Jens Stoltenberg's second cabinet on 17 October 2005. He represents the Norwegian Labour Party.-Personal life:...
said "Norway condemns such actions against civilians and calls for an immediate ceasefire" and described the attack as "a clear-cut violation of international law".
- The Spanish government's expressed "profound consternation and condemns the Israeli bombardment."
- The Swedish Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Sweden
The Prime Minister is the head of government in the Kingdom of Sweden. Before the creation of the office of a Prime Minister in 1876, Sweden did not have a head of government separate from its head of state, namely the King, in whom the executive authority was vested...
, Göran Persson
Göran Persson
Hans Göran Persson was the Prime Minister of Sweden from 1996 to 2006 and the leader of the Swedish Social Democratic Party from 1996 to 2007. Conceding defeat in the September 2006 general election, he announced that he would resign as party leader, and Mona Sahlin was elected to succeed him as...
said he reacted with "dismay and wrath". He commented that "even Israel must stand up for international rights, and use proportionate countermeasures in their situation."
- Ankara stated: "We are filled with deep sadness because of the death of innocent people." Foreign Ministry called Israel for an immediate cease-fire.
- Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
said that "In the name of God, I call on all those responsible for this spiral of violence so that weapons are immediately laid down on all sides."
NGOs
- Amnesty InternationalAmnesty InternationalAmnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
issued a statement saying: "The devastating attack on Qana makes clear that an immediate and full ceasefire is urgently needed. Measures taken by Israel to temporarily suspend airstrikes over southern Lebanon are insufficient. Both sides to this conflict have shown a blatant disregard for the laws of war and civilians on both sides are paying the price as war crimes abound..."
- Human Rights WatchHuman Rights WatchHuman Rights Watch is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Its headquarters are in New York City and it has offices in Berlin, Beirut, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo,...
- The Human RightsHuman rightsHuman rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
organization issued a statement placing responsibility for the attacks on Israel. The statement read: "Israel remains under a strict obligation to direct attacks at only military objectives, and to take all feasible precautions to avoid the incidental loss of civilian life."