Norwegian People’s Aid condemns Iran’s alleged use of cluster munitions against Israel and Palestine
NPA strongly condemns Iran’s alleged use of cluster munitions against Israel and Palestine, as reported by the Israeli officials. While these allegations are yet to be independently verified, the use of cluster munitions has been reported repeatedly in recent weeks.
On Wednesday, three Palestinian women were killed and 13 people injured in the West Bank, while an elderly couple lost their lives in attacks on Tel Aviv.
Cluster munitions are inherently indiscriminate weapons that disperse dozens or hundreds of submunitions over wide areas. They cannot distinguish between civilians and military targets, and kill and injure indiscriminately. Many of the submunitions fail to explode on impact, remaining on the ground and posing a deadly threat to civilians for decades.
The severe humanitarian consequences for civilians are the reason why cluster munitions are prohibited under the Convention on Cluster Munitions, adopted in 2008. The Convention bans the use, production, stockpiling and transfer of these weapons, and has become a cornerstone in efforts to protect civilians in armed conflict.
– If these allegations are confirmed, such use would be utterly unacceptable. Neither Iran nor Israel have joined the Convention. Nevertheless, international humanitarian law applies to all parties to a conflict. The use of weapons that strike civilians indiscriminately constitutes a serious violation of these rules, said Raymond Johansen, Secretary General of Norwegian People’s Aid.
– At a time of increasing conflict, it is critical to uphold and strengthen established humanitarian norms, he added.
NPA is the world’s largest humanitarian operator in the survey and clearance of cluster munition remnants.
– We witness the horrific consequences of cluster munitions in the field on a daily basis. That is why we consistently condemn any use. We urge states that remain outside the Convention to join the ban, said Johansen.
