An international petition urging the United Nations to condemn Hamas, the terrorist group that rules the Gaza Strip, for conducting an environmental terrorism campaign against Israel in recent months has gained over 12,000 signatures so far, Israel Hayom learned Sunday.
The terrorist arson campaign of launching incendiary kites and balloons from Gaza, which began in April, has decimated some 10,000 acres of forest and farmland in southern Israel and has caused millions of dollars in damage. Environmental experts say it will take at least 15 years to rehabilitate the wildlife and vegetation that have been destroyed.
The petition, issued by the World Jewish Congress, states that the terrorists "have burned thousands of tires and launched hundreds of incendiary devices into Israeli territory. The combined effect of these heinous acts has not only led to the release of toxic materials into the fragile ecosystem, but has resulted in the destruction of more than 7,400 acres of land, hundreds of acres of wheat fields, and 2,700 acres of protected nature reserves."
It urges U.N. Environment Program Executive Director Erik Solheim "to condemn Hamas and other terrorist groups in Gaza for causing serious environmental damage in the southern part of Israel."
The petition urges the U.N. to censure Hamas for its actions.
"Both United Nations resolutions and international humanitarian law expressly prohibit the destruction of the natural environment in armed conflict, and yet the international community has remained silent as Hamas wages environmental warfare that endangers civilians, [and] wildlife, and ravages the natural beauty and resources of Israel's southern region," the petition said.
It points out that Hamas' ecoterrorism could constitute a war crime.
"In May 2016, the Environment Assembly of the United Nations Environment Program reaffirmed U.N. General Assembly resolution 47/37 titled 'Protection of the Environment in Armed Conflict,' which stressed 'that destruction of the environment not justified by military necessity and carried out wantonly is clearly contrary to existing international law.' Article 35 (3) of the Additional Protocol to the Geneva Conventions states: 'It is prohibited to employ methods or means of warfare which are intended, or may be expected, to cause widespread, longterm and severe damage to the natural environment.'
"The World Jewish Congress calls on the U.N. Environmental Program and Director Solheim to condemn these acts and use all necessary measures at their disposal to ensure that these illegal actions cease immediately."
The chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, Arthur Stark, and Executive Vice Chairman and CEO Malcolm Hoenlein issued a joint statement saying, "These are acts of terror that must be condemned by all those who profess to care about the poisoning of the atmosphere and the destruction of the ecosystem, let alone peace in the region. We urge environmental organizations in the U.S. and abroad, as well as people of good will to join in condemning these acts of ecoterrorism."
World Jewish Congress CEO Robert Singer will present the petition to the U.N. in the coming days.
"Hamas deliberately violates international environmental law and must be held accountable for the damage caused by its actions," he said.
"I call on the U.N. to act against Hamas, condemn its actions, and recognize it as a terrorist organization in every way. Hamas must be stopped once and for all."
