UN experts condemn Israeli drone strikes killing Al-Arouri

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
9 Jan 2024 22:08

The UN experts emphasized that there was "no legal basis for geographically unlimited attacks against members of an armed group wherever they are."

Mourners gather around the coffin of Ahmad Hammoud, during his funeral procession at the Burj al-Shamali Palestinian refugee camp, South Lebanon, Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2024 (AP Photo/Mohammed Zaatari)

In a statement issued on Tuesday, UN experts in international law strongly condemned the killing of Hamas deputy leader Saleh al-Arouri and six of his comrades in drone strikes on Lebanon. The experts declared that such actions amounted to the crimes of extrajudicial killings and murder.

While "Israel" has neither confirmed nor denied its involvement in the assassination of Arouri, his assassination occurred a month after "Israel's" security agency Shin Bet pledged to pursue Hamas in Lebanon, Turkey, and Qatar.

According to the UN Special Rapporteurs Ben Saul and Morris Tidball-Binz: "Killings in foreign territory are arbitrary when they are not authorized under international law."

They added that "Israel's" actions did not constitute self-defense, as no evidence was presented that the victims were engaged in an armed attack on "Israel" from Lebanese territory.

"All states are prohibited from arbitrarily depriving individuals of their right to life in military or security operations abroad, including when countering terrorism."

Human rights experts Ben Saul & Morris Tidball deplore extraterritorial use of lethal drones in #Lebanon. pic.twitter.com/zL0Stbq9J3
— United Nations Geneva (@UNGeneva) January 9, 2024

Saleh al-Arouri was killed last week by an air strike in Beirut's southern suburbs. The UN experts emphasized that there was "no legal basis for geographically unlimited attacks against members of an armed group wherever they are."

Hezbollah, in response to recent events, has been firing guided rockets and other weapons across Lebanon's southern border at Israeli positions since the outbreak of the war on Gaza began three months ago.

On January 6, they fired a barrage of 62 rockets hitting "Israel's" Meron intel airforce base, which primarily serves as an aerial surveillance center.

On Monday, Israeli forces reportedly killed high-ranking Hezbollah commander Wissam Tawil in a strike in south Lebanon. In retaliation, Hezbollah targeted the Israeli army headquarters in Safad, northern Palestine, with drones on Tuesday. The situation continues to escalate in the region amid these developments.