2006 Qana airstrike

On 30 July 2006, during the Israel-Lebanon conflict, the Israeli Air Force (IAF) launched an airstrike on the South Lebanese town of Qana . The double airstrike on an apartment building in the downtown district which Israel claims was housing Hezbollah militants, killed at least 56, including 37 children, 12 women, and injured many others. The event was reminiscent of the 1996 shelling of Qana in which over 100 civilians died.

Timeline according to residents

According to residents the timeline was:

• IAF bombed the building which is located in the Hariva neighborhood of Qana at 1:00 A.M.
• Following initial strike, some of the people in the building exited in an attempt to survey the damage.
• Within ten minutes, a second IAF airstrike hit the building, causing the walls to collapse on the residents who did not vacate, killing them in the process.

Reports of the incident began to appear in Arab media around dawn Sunday, approximately seven hours after the strike, but the Arab media did not mention exactly when the building collapsed.

Position of Lebanon

Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora said the Qana bombing made the need for a settlement more urgent. He denounced "Israeli war criminals" and cancelled talks with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Prime Minister Siniora appealed to the U.N. Security Council for an emergency session, which will hold consultations on July 30, 2006. AFP reported that nearly half of the 37 children killed were physically or mentally handicapped children awaiting evacuation. The BBC maintained that because Israel was bombing civilian cars and convoys on the roads, many civilians were too afraid to move and leave their homes. Testimonies from Qana maintain that the building was struck twice in the course of ten minutes.

Position of Israel

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert expressed regret over the incident and said that residents have been warned to leave the area. Olmert said that Hezbollah used Qana to store and fire Katyusha rockets, and used the villagers as human shields. "We will not blink in front of Hezbollah and we will not stop the offensive despite the difficult circumstances." In response to US pressure after the strike, On July 31 Israel agreed to a suspension of air strikes over southern Lebanon for up to 48 hours to allow time for further civilian evacuations from the area, as well as investigation of the incident. Airstrikes actually resumed less than 24 hours later.

Initial IDF investigation

The Israel Defense Forces stated that they were targeting buildings they believed were being used by Hezbollah to hide in immediately after the launch of rockets against Israel. All the people were killed in the building's bomb shelter. IDF Spokeperson said that the target was selected through identification and analysis, and they would not have attacked had they known of civilian activity. Israeli Air Force Headquarters commander Brigadier-General Amir Eshel and head of the Israeli Operations Directorate, General Gadi Eizenkot told reporters that an initial investigation found the building in Qana collapsed about eight hours after being hit. The investigation also raised the possiblity that Hezbollah explosives stored in the building were behind the collapse, but there has been no independent verification for this claim.

The IDF has not released footage of the airstrike itself, but they have released a video showing Katyusha rockets being fired from the vicinity of Qana, and rocket launchers being hidden in residential areas of the village. This video was from some time before the 30th.

Bomb details

A piece of bomb casing bearing the marking "GUIDED BOMB BSU 37/B" was reportedly unearthed at the scene of the event.

The strike that destroyed the building was a precision-guided bomb dropped from the air, the same kind of bomb that destroyed a UN position in Khiyam last week, killing four UN observers. Writing on an olive green fragment of the munition which appeared to have caused the explosion read: GUIDED BOMB BSU 37/B.

According to the Aeronautical and Support Equipment Type Designation System (ASETDS) the "BS" in BSU 37/B implies a "Munitions Stabilizing and Retarding Device" (fin structure) attached to 1 of the so far unidentified bombs used in the attack. The "U" implies the purpose of the equipment, "U" being 'Special or Combination (and any purpose not otherwise covered)'.

Reactions

Unless otherwise stated, all quotes are from "International responses", News Limited, July 30, 2006.

Middle East

• Egypt - President of Egypt Hosni Mubarak 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."

• Iran - 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. There are 50 more innocent dollars Rice can add to her already Iraqi-filled wallet."

• Israel - Israeli UN Ambassador Dan Gillerman 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.

• Jordan - Jordanian King Abdullah II condemned "the ugly crime perpetrated by Israeli forces in Qana that is a gross violation of all international statutes."

• Kuwait - 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 also condemned the attacks.

• Lebanon - The Lebanese government has asked Condoleeza Rice to cancel a visit to Lebanon insisting that they will only negotiate an immediate, unconditional cease-fire. Lebanese Defence Minister Elias Murr 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?"

• Palestinian National Authority - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas 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."

• Syria - 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 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."

• United Arab Emirates - called the event an "ugly massacre."

• Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, Iraq's top Shiite 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."

Europe

• France - French President Jacques Chirac said that "France condemns this unjustifiable action, which shows more than ever the need to move toward an immediate cease-fire."

• United Kingdom - British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett stated: "It's absolutely dreadful, it's quite appalling. We have repeatedly urged Israel to act proportionately."

• Turkey - Ankara stated: "We are filled with deep sadness because of the death of innocent people." Foreign Ministry called Israel for an immediate cease-fire.

• Germany- Foreign minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier stated that "the highest priority must now be a cease-fire as quickly as possible," and expressed "horror" of the deaths.

• Greece - 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."

• Ireland - The Irish Taoiseach Bertie Ahern condemned the attack saying he was shocked and appalled at the heavy loss of life and that an immediate ceasefire is urgently needed.

• Italy - Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi said: "I truly hope that a road to peace is found again."

• Norway - The Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jonas Gahr Støre 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".

• Spain - The Spanish government's expressed "profound consternation and condemns the Israeli bombardment."

• Sweden - The Swedish Prime Minister, Göran Persson 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."

• Vatican City - Pope Benedict XVI 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."

Africa

• Algeria - 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.

• Tunisia - The country expressed "its condemnation on this criminal act."

Asia

• Pakistan - Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said "the Pakistani government and people strongly condemn this sad incident, which is clearly unwarranted aggression, and calls for an immediate ceasefire."
• India - 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."
• People's Republic of China - 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."

Americas

• United States - United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice asserted that she postponed her visit to Beirut, 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."

• Brazil President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said he rejected "the acts of indiscriminate violence and the use of military force against civilian targets by all parties" in the conflict.
• Venezuela Vice President Jose Vicente Rangel 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."

Organizations

• Arab League - League's Secretery-General said that "The attacks that Israeli forces are launching targeting civilians and the Lebanese infrastructure are another confirmation of Israeli aggressive intentions."

• European Union - EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, Javier Solana, 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."

• File:HamasLogo.jpg Hamas - A Hamas legislator 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."

• File:Flag of Hezbollah.svg Hezbollah - Stated that "this horrific massacre will not go without a response."

• File:Human Rights Watch banner.gif Human Rights Watch - The Human Rights 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."

• United Nations - United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan 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."

External links

• Video of the scene of the air strike in the morning from Al Manar TV