What a remarkably stupid comment! The law looks to intent, not efficacy. The fact that Israel makes better missiles and can stop missiles fired from Gaza does not in any way mitigate the fact that the firing of rockets from cGaza at Israeli civilian population centers is a war crime and illegal. Israel has every right to defend itself and its population -- in fact, it has an affirmative duty to do so. Has it occurred to you that if terrorists in Gaza did not hide among civilians, the death toll would be much less. Make no mistake -- Israel conducted very careful strikes. It could have reduced Gaza to a pile of rubble, but it chose not to do that. The responsibility for civilian deaths in Gaza rests squarely with terrorist elements in Gaza, who hide in civilian homes and cache weapons in schools and hospitals -- thus rendering all of the foregoing legitimate military targets. Just remember -- intent over efficacy. The terrorists in Gaza fully intended to kill Israeli civilians. The fact that they didn't kill very many does not change the fact that that was their intent.

It´s good to see the Saudi donated money at work.

What are you complaining about.As my math goes one Israeli is worth 1,000 arabs that's what they settled on for Gilad Shalit didn't they? well since there were five israelis killed in the last scrimage we are 4,990 short on the math.Where is the DISPOPORTIONATE killings? I think we are too nice to them.

I have just lodged a formal complaint of bias I suggest everyone else does the same

amazing how the spin and the beat goes on.

How many lives lost & ruined by hamas assaulting us? How many did you say that was???

Your comment was perfect. Israel, on the scope of peace, retired her forces from Gaza Strip, seven or eight years ago. But Hamas, that rules the "free territory", has separated it from other Palestinian areas, ruled by Fatah, beyond attacking the Jewish State, "on and on". Anyone that reads newspapers, can know it . On hiding into civilians, they provoke many deaths, in order to Israel be considered "a ruthless aggressor". Unhappily, such international entities believe it. But the truth will prevail someday in the future. I salute you again.

extented Palestine famly of 21 was order into a buliding by an IDF officer. The shelled the building. ICC

Put your thinking cap on, little one. We should be able to agree that Israel had about 1500 successful airstrikes during the recent Gaza conflict, most in heavily populated areas. Surely you saw all those huge secondary explosions. In well over1400 of those strikes, NOT ONE PERSON was killed. That is not the result of random attacks like the Hamas rockets against Israeli civilians. It demonstrates Israel's extreme precision and care to hit only legitimate military targets and avoid civilians. And over half of your 170 Palestinian deaths were COMBATANTS. Sadly, some civilians die in combat, but that is largely the fault of Hamas putting them directly in harm's way.

The presence of civilians does not grant an area immunity, the presence of combatants negates that immunity. It is up to the civilians to leave an area with combatants. If a civilian is killed or injured in an area with combatants the combatants are at fault. Case of TFB

HTW is a leftist organisation. It is not so important, what is important, in the army, many of the psychologists destroy and endanger the life of the soldiers. It's time pulling them out of the army, without complex.

Stupid people, about a thousand rockets fired only on civilian destroying home and killing is Kosher. you must be dumb or stupid or both. Israel notified all to get away from terrorists immediate area which no army in the world including the US does. Israel fights those who want to kill as many civilians as possible with out fear that people like you will utter a word

HRW is ilegitimat, and just a leading bunch of ideots!

I wasn't aware there was a LAW about proportionate responses. These people come up with some really stupid rules which they only ever apply to Israel. Didn't hear their outcry when Hamas was intentionally targeting Israeli citizens.

Declare HRW, Amnesty and any other inimical organizations, enemy agents, arrest their operatives and associates whlo happen to be in Israel

Determining if something is against the law relies mostly on intent. Since the intent by the IDF was not to target civilians, and it seems misinformation was the result of the deaths of the civilians, there is no direct guilt or war violation here. But there sure is a violation of law and rules of war in the use of civilian homes for hiding weapons, fighters, and use of weapons against other civilians. Perhaps as part of the Hamas 25th anniversary celebration, Human Rights Watch decided to give them a free pass on war crimes.

they aren't cowards, why when "Rights Groups" talking about of Israel you say Wake up, the subject is very simple give their people usurped rights,when present good will see good things

You are ignorant and do not know anything about legitimacy

that war was fair? Each side ises whatever it has to eliminate its opposition Arabs jave the idea that its fair to hide behind their civilians Fahti Hammad (Hamas) brags about it, his video is on Youtube, educate yourself, before displaying your ignorance and bias Israel exited Gaza yeas ago, Arabs believed that gave them a free hand to fire thousands of rockets at Israel I would suggest that you concentrate on the Greek-Turkish problems on Cyrpus, its ever so much closer to your home

The were Arab fighters posing as such. Arabs have a habit of hiding behind their own people, Fahti Hammad (Hamas) made a video, for you to see, it's on Youtube, he's bragging about it Next you can tell us about the house that blew up due to the fact they had it was filled with explosives

One only needs to visit wikipedia.com to learn much about the organization called Human Rights Watch. They will ignore the crimes against Israel, the rockets fired from Gaza, but will point their finger at the casualties at the targeted house. It is typical for terrorists to hide amongst civilians. The group calling itself HRW should be condemned for its anti-Jew, anti-Israel investigations and reporting.

HRW uses the Hamas website to corroborate claims of terrorist deaths by the IDF. Really? When has Hamas or any other terrorist group become a model for open information and honesty? Hamas still claims they have won a big victory and it came through their rockets on Tel Aviv. In Cast Lead, HRW and Amnesty International accepted Hamas-based health ministry which claimed people killed were civilians, despite their names also showing up on Islamic Jihad websites. So how credible are either of these organizations?

Mistakes are not considered war crimes. Intentional targeting of civilians is. Hamas and Islamic Jihad admitted they targeted civilians while the IDF has proven that they avoid casualties with the massive amount of efforts they did in the 8-day war. You want to try an ICC suit? Go ahead - the "Palestinians" will get to the chopping block first. There's a great little story from Ambulance drivers in Gaza during Cast Lead who were ordered to transport weapons and terrorists against their will, and these same drivers admitted the IDF NEVER shot at them during the war. Game on, punk!

Why thank you! Always nice to have a judge uphold my legal arguments. I do get tired, however, of pointing out that where a missile lands is irrelevant; the scope of the damage is irrelevant. The criminal act occurs when the missile is fired, and the responsibility for such an act accrues to those who fired it. That would be, in both cases, the terrorist elements in Gaza who are responsible. Israel has every right to act to take out the missile launchers, the missile stockpiles and the people who fire them. Self-defense and an affirmative duty to protect one's civilians is black-letter law. The terrorists were responsible for the escalation in violation; all responsibility for Israel's response -- and the civilian deaths that ensued -- accrue to the terrorists as well.

And now you know why neither Israel nor the United States recognize the legitimacy of the ICC. The extended family was 21 had attempted to evacuate, knowing that the area was to come under bombardment and shelling, thanks to advance Israeli leafleting. Their Hamas masters did not allow them to leave. Hamas are the murderers. Self-defense is NEVER murder. Hiding behind civilians and preventing them from evacuating an area -- both of which Hamas routinely does -- constitutes depraved indifference to human life. That is both murder and, in certain circumstances, a war crime. Hamas are thus both murderers and war criminals.

We formally extend an invitation to Human Rights Watch to set up an office in Sderot to monitor IDF "illegal" in any future conflicts with Hamas in Gaza. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee that the office will be in close proximity to a shelter. But then Hamas doesn't fire at civilian populations, so there should be no problem