Israel in Lebanon: Is the 'security buffer zone' legal?
Key takeaways
- Buffer zones occupy a grey area in international humanitarian law, as rules around them in contemporary warfare are not particularly clear.
- Since early March, Israeli troops have taken over an area of Lebanon between 5 and 10 kilometers (3 and 6 miles) away from the border.
- The reason an answer to the original question is so complex is that buffer zones, as they are often used in warfare and politics this century, are not very well defined under international humanitarian law.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
Buffer zones occupy a grey area in international humanitarian law, as rules around them in contemporary warfare are not particularly clear.
https://p.dw.com/p/5Cxih Israel says it wants a buffer zone in southern Lebanon to prevent attacks from Hezbollah but critics say it's a form of occupation and that Israel may be committing war crimes there Image: Kawnat Haju/AFPAdvertisement Is a buffer zone — such as the one that Israel is establishing in Lebanon — legal under international law?
But the long answer is more complicated and, experts say, leads to the conclusion that what Israel is establishing in southern Lebanon may not actually be a "security buffer zone" at all, at least not under international law.