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Israel Isn’t Violating International Law; Hezbollah Is Putting Civilians at Risk
Smoke billows over Khiam, amid ongoing hostilities between Hezbollah and Israeli forces, as pictured from Marjayoun, near the border with Israel, Oct. 29, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Karamallah Daher
A PBS Newshour report on October 22 about the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah incorrectly claimed that Israel’s “attacking medical workers and striking health care facilities are war crimes.” But this is not an accurate statement of international law, nor would anyone with an understanding of how law works claim it to be so. Both the Geneva Conventions and Customary International Humanitarian law provide that medical facilities lose their protected status when they are used for military purposes.
The International Committee of the Red Cross’s customary international humanitarian law database, Rule 28, states, “Medical units exclusively assigned to medical purposes must be respected and protected in all circumstances. They lose their protection if they are being used, outside their humanitarian function, to commit acts harmful to the enemy.” (Emphasis added.)
And Article 21 of the Geneva Conventions states, “The protection to which fixed establishments and mobile medical units of the Medical Service are entitled shall not cease unless they are used to commit, outside their humanitarian duties, acts harmful to the enemy. Protection may, however, cease only after a due warning has been given, naming, in all appropriate cases, a reasonable time limit and after such warning has remained unheeded.” (Emphasis added.)
Even a previous PBS report has acknowledged that, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross, “hospitals can lose their protections if combatants use them to hide fighters or store weapons.”
This has to be the case, otherwise it would incentivize warring parties to turn their hospitals into military bases, and provide a mechanism for those parties to attack others with impunity. And, indeed, for these reasons, US forces or US-backed forces attacked hospitals in Iraq on at least four occasions. Despite this, PBS’ Geoff Bennett introduced the segment by Leila Molana-Allen with the unqualified assertion that “Israeli airstrikes around Beirut have increasingly targeted health care facilities and health care workers,” and Molana-Allen failed to qualify her description of international law, creating a false impression of Israeli actions in Lebanon.
Further, within the report, Molana-Allen says, “and now, hospitals as well as homes are under attack. Yesterday Israel’s authorities said they believed a Hezbollah cash trove sat under Beirut’s El Sahel hospital, but said they wouldn’t strike it. Instead, they hit a different one. Just before midnight, an airstrike was launched on the entrance of Beirut’s Rafik Hariri hospital, flattening four buildings in front of it….” (Emphasis added.)
But as multiple news sources made clear, the hospital itself was not the target of the attack, and in fact, it wasn’t even hit — though it seems to have suffered collateral damage from the blast. The BBC reported “the Israeli military said it hit a ‘Hezbollah terrorist target,’” and that the buildings that were hit were about 160 feet from the hospital. Even The New York Times reported that the strike was on “residential buildings across from,” the hospital.
But it appears as though Molana-Allen is trying to make it seem like the hospital itself was struck, when she says, “this is the capital’s main specialist public hospital, where children injured in the bombings are receiving surgery. Rescuers dug for hours through the mangled carcass of concrete and iron searching for survivors.”
One interview subject, a Lebanese medic, is quoted saying, “they [the IDF] don’t differentiate at all between military personnel, civilians, or paramedics. Anyone trying to do their duty is at risk.” Yet, the speaker has no way to know what the military objectives of any particular strike are.
The segment also featured a video clip of what Molana-Allen claims is, “an 11-story apartment block leveled in less than a second. Dozens of homes and lives demolished.” But, though she does note that residents were warned to flee, she makes no effort to explain why the building was a target. In fact, the IDF press office has confirmed to CAMERA that the building was part of Hezbollah’s infrastructure.
The IDF has said for years that “Hezbollah militants and arms are systematically embedded in civilian areas and urban population centers.”
And on October 16, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller acknowledged, “We understand that Hezbollah does operate at times from underneath civilian homes, inside civilian homes. We’ve seen footage that has emerged over the course of the past two weeks of rockets and other military weapons held in civilian homes.”
Of course it is tragic when civilian homes or medical facilities are caught up in fighting, and even more so when civilians lose their lives, but Hezbollah, like Hamas, has embedded itself within the civilian population. Any blame for such death and destruction must be properly laid at the feet of those who store weapons in residences, and who forced the opening of this front in the war with 11 months of rocket attacks on northern Israel that displaced tens of thousands of Israelis from their homes, including the July 27 attack that killed 12 Israeli Druze teenagers.
Neither the slain Israeli children nor the many displaced Israeli civilians were mentioned in this report. At fault as well is UNIFIL, which failed in its mission to protect both Israeli and Lebanese civilians by restraining Hezbollah, yet which also isn’t even mentioned in Molana-Allen’s report.
Karen Bekker is the Assistant Director in the Media Response Team at CAMERA, the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting and Analysis, where a version of this article first appeared.
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New Pope Calls for Continued ‘Precious Dialogue’ Between Jews and Catholics
Pope Leo XIV holds an audience with representatives of the media in Paul VI hall at the Vatican, May 12, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane
On Monday, Pope Leo XIV met with Jewish leaders and other representatives from the world’s religious traditions to nourish continued interfaith bridge-building.
Echoing a letter he sent to the American Jewish Committee on May 8 pledging to strengthen Catholic-Jewish relations in the tradition of the church’s Second Vatican Council’s Nostra Aetate statement, the Pope emphasized that “because of the Jewish roots of Christianity, all Christians have a special relationship with Judaism.” He called the theological exchange between the two groups “ever important and close to my heart,” stating that “even in these difficult times, marked by conflicts and misunderstandings, it is necessary to continue the momentum of this precious dialogue of ours.”
Leo praised all the faith leaders in attendance at the meeting, saying that “in a world wounded by violence and conflict, each of the communities represented here brings its own contribution of wisdom, compassion, and commitment to the good of humanity and the preservation of our common home.”
Jewish groups in attendance at the Pope’s meeting included the American Jewish Committee (represented by Rabbi Noam Marans, director of Inter-religious Affairs), B’nai B’rith International, the Conference of European Rabbis, and the Jewish Community of Rome as represented by the city’s chief rabbi, Riccardo Di Segni. Marans gave Leo a Chicago White Sox hat, which inspired a big smile from the Chicago-born pontiff. “We’re starting off on the right foot,” Marans said.
“As an exponent of religious values and ethnical monotheism, it is hoped that Pope Leo will find common cause with Jewish organisations,” Zaki Cooper, vice-president of the Council of Christians and Jews, wrote in a Friday column in the United Kingdom’s Jewish News. “This could cover a range of moral issues such as the environment, the family, technology or anti-slavery. One of Pope Francis’ memorable interventions, in 2018, was to praise the value of Shabbat, saying ‘what the Jews followed, and still observe, was to consider the Sabbath as holy.’”
Yaron Sideman, Israel’s ambassador to the Vatican, said that he and Leo “both stand for something much bigger than geopolitical entities.” He said “you can’t separate dialogue with Jewish people and the state where half of Jewish people live. This is where it needs to be fundamentally restructured.”
In a Wednesday article for EJewishPhilanthropy.com, historian Stessa Peers summarized the efforts of recent Popes to nourish Jewish-Catholic brotherhood following the issuing of Nostra Aetate.
“Popes have taken meaningful steps toward repair. Pope John Paul II visited synagogues, met with Holocaust survivors and called Jews ‘our elder brothers,’” Peers wrote. “Pope Benedict XVI, born in Nazi Germany, continued that work. Pope Francis, who led the Church beginning in 2013, met regularly with Jewish leaders, condemned antisemitism unequivocally and prioritized healing. His comments on Jewish law were not always perfect, but he engaged sincerely with criticism and reaffirmed his respect. His presence at Jewish sites like the Western Wall and Yad Vashem shifted the tone of Catholic–Jewish relations.”
Rabbi Joshua Stanton, who leads the Jewish Federations of North America’s interfaith efforts, said that Leo “is known for working well with people quietly” and that he hoped for a “return to the direct, frank dialogue between friends that can take place behind closed doors.”
Adam Gregerman, co-director of St. Joseph’s Institute for Jewish-Catholic Relations, told OSV News that “the locus of many of the major improvements in Jewish-Christian relations since the Second Vatican Council have taken place in the U.S., owing above all to the size of these communities and the regular, fruitful interactions between them. It is thus encouraging to see the elevation of an American as pope.” He said that “given his roots in a diverse American society, I know many Jews are excited about his selection.”
Leo also emphasized the importance of Muslim-Catholic relations, calling the cross-cultural conversation “marked by a growing commitment to dialogue and fraternity, fostered by esteem for these our brothers and sisters who ‘worship God, who is one, living and subsistent, merciful and almighty, the Creator of heaven and earth, who has also spoken to humanity.”
Ahmad Al-Tayyeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, wrote on X that “we look forward to continuing our collaboration with His Holiness in strengthening interfaith dialogue and promoting the values of human fraternity, in pursuit of global peace, coexistence, and a better future for all humanity.”
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New York City and Israel Sign Declaration of Intent for New Council to Foster Economic, Business Partnerships
A New York City Police officer monitors the “Israel Day on Fifth” parade in New York City, U.S., May 18, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Angelina Katsanis
New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Israeli Minister of Economy and Industry Nir Barkat signed a Declaration of Intent on Monday to establish a joint initiative that will further economic and business ties as well as innovation between the two governments.
The New York City–Israel Economic Council will focus on fostering business partnerships between the city of New York and Israel in economic development, emergency management, education, and technology. It will help Israeli businesses and startups that want to establish a presence in New York City; support collaboration in sectors including environmental innovation, life sciences, and artificial intelligence; and coordinate participation in major business and technology conferences.
The council will meet regularly and will be comprised of representatives from the New York City Mayor’s Office and Israel’s Economic Mission to the United States. Adams’ Office for International Affairs is leading the initiative. The Declaration of Intent signed by Adams and Barkat on Monday is non-binding but highlights a commitment between the two governments to collaborate and build partnerships.
Mayor Adams said on Monday that the council will “serve as a gateway to the US market for Israeli businesses.”
“Today’s announcement of a Declaration of Intent reflects a proud tradition of New York City mayors collaborating with Israel, and will drive innovation, create jobs, and strengthen the unbreakable bond between our two governments,” the mayor added.
“The NYC–Israel Economic Council represents both strategic partnership and moral clarity,” said Moshe Davis, the executive director of the Mayor’s Office to Combat Antisemitism, which was announced earlier this month. “As antisemitism rises globally, New York City is responding with substantive collaboration in key sectors like environmental innovation and artificial intelligence. This council will not only drive opportunity and growth, it will demonstrate that the world’s greatest city stands firmly with Israel and the Jewish people.”
New York City is home to the largest Jewish population outside of Israel.
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Jewish Simpsons Mural Defaced by Antisemitic, Pro-Palestinian Vandals at Shoah Memorial in Milan
The mural “The Jewish Simpsons Deported to Auschwitz” before and after it was vandalized. Photo: Provided
A mural on the external wall of the Shoah Memorial in Milan, Italy, that depicts the Simpsons family as Jews being deported to the Auschwitz concentration camp was recently defaced by pro-Palestinian vandals.
The pop art mural “The Jewish Simpsons Deported to Auschwitz” was created by contemporary Italian pop artist and activist AleXsandro Palombo and debuted on Jan. 27, 2023, in honor of Holocaust Remembrance Day. It features Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie Simpson as Jews wearing outfits that feature a yellow Star of David badge with the word “Jude” in the center. Nazis forced Jews to wear a similar badge on their clothing during the Holocaust. Palombo’s team said the artist used contemporary figures such as the Simpsons to educate the public, especially younger generations, about the importance of remembrance and the duty to never forget the horrors of the Holocaust.
Pro-Palestinian vandals almost completely ripped off the images of Marge, Lisa and Maggie Simpson from the mural and replaced them with a message written in red paint that said “Free Pal,” which is short for “Free Palestine.” The Star of David badge on Homer’s overcoat was also torn off and the Star of David badge worn by Bart was covered in red paint.
“Little remains of the iconic work: only a grave antisemitic defacement, which has transformed a tribute to memory into an expression of hatred,” Palombo’s media relations team said on Sunday in response to the vandalism. “Today, [the] work has been brutally erased and turned into a disturbing political manifesto, steeped in antisemitism. This act is yet another stark reminder that antisemitic hatred is on the rise, even in places devoted to memory and reflection … At a time when antisemitism is surging globally, acts like this take on even greater gravity. This is not merely vandalism, but a deliberate attack on memory, culture, and the core values of human rights.”
Palombo has dedicated several murals over the years to Holocaust remembrance and antisemitism. They include depictions of Holocaust teenage diarist and victim Anne Frank wearing a concentration camp uniform and holding an Israeli flag while standing beside a Palestinian girl who burns the Hamas flag. Palombo also created a mural that depicted a boy from the Warsaw Ghetto reimagined as a hostage of Hamas terrorists.
After the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attack in southern Israel, Palombo unveiled a mural in Milan dedicated to Vlada Patapov, a young survivor of the Hamas attack at the Nova music festival. Shortly after its unveiling, the artwork was vandalized and Patapov’s head was erased.
A number of Palombo’s murals that feature Italian Holocaust survivors Liliana Segre, Sami Modiano and Edith Bruck have been repeatedly vandalized. In January, the Museum of the Shoah in Rome acquired several of Palombo’s murals that were vandalized and then restored. The artworks are part of the museum’s permanent collection and displayed in Rome’s ancient Jewish Ghetto, facing the Portico of Octavia.
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