UN: Israel Must Pay

(Arutz-7) June 16, 2000

The United Nations voted on a resolution last night calling for Israel to pay restitution to the family members of victims of the IDF bombardment of the Lebanese village of Kafr Kana four years ago. Only Israel and the U.S. voted against.

About 100 people were killed in the attack, which occurred in April '96 when Israel attempted to retaliate for rocket and mortar shells that had been fired upon IDF forces only minutes before. Israel bombed a base very close to the source of the Hizbullah attack, not aware that hundreds of civilians had been relocated to the site.

At the time, a top Israeli army general told the UN, "Our bombing was meant to save one of our forces that was under very heavy attack from mortar and katyusha fire originating from a location very near the compound. It was defensive in its nature... We asked UNIFIL just two days before, and they didn't give us any details about the refugees. Even after the shooting on the 20th of the month, two days after the sad incident, we asked UNIFIL about the location of refugees, and they responded, 'It's not our policy to say; it's none of your business.'"