Deadly Metal Rain: Th e Legality of FlechetteWeapons in International Law

Copyright page

Contents

Illustrations and Maps

Abbreviations

List of Cases

List of Treaties

Acknowledgments

Introduction

The Legality of Flechette Weapons: Origin of the Lacuna

Flechette Weapons: Their Use by Israel (1982-2009)

Flechette Weapons: The Domestic Legal Debate

Outline of the Book

Part I. Flechette Weapons: Factual and Legal Background

Chapter 1 The Weapon’s Features and History

A. Introduction

B. Air-dropped Flechettes

BI. The Balles Bon Weapons: Air-dropped Flechettes in the Pre WWI Era

BII. Air-dropped Flechettes in WWI

BIII. The “Lazy Dog” Weapons: Air-dropped “Finned Bullets” in Vietnam

C. Firearm Flechettes: Development and Operation

CI. Flechette Rifl es: The Rise and Demise of the “Salvo Project”

CII. “Beehive Projectiles”: Origin and Development

CIII. Flechette Projectiles: Method of Operation

CIV. ‘The Most Effi cient Killer’: Use of Beehive Munitions in the Vietnam War

CV. Flechette Weapons in the Post Vietnam Era: Proliferation and Use

Chapter 2 From Pointed Controversy to Oblivion: The Non-banning of Flechette Weapons

A. Introduction: Restricting Weapons of War throughout the Centuries

B. Initial Efforts to Ban “Certain” Conventional Weapons (1966-1970): The “High Speed Barbed Missiles”

C. Flechettes Weapon during Consolidation of the AdditionalProtocols, 1971-1977

CI. The ICRC Activities and the Swedish Foreign Ministry Report (1971-1973)

CII. The Ad Hoc Committee on Conventional Weapons (First Session, 1974) and its Aftermath

CIII. The Ad Hoc Committee on Conventional Weapons (Second Session, 1975) and its Aftermath

CIV. The Ad Hoc Committee (Third Session, 1976) and its Aftermath

CV. The Ad Hoc Committee and the Conclusion of the DiplomaticConference (Fourth Session, 1977)

D. Flechettes during Formulation of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW Convention), 1978-1980

DI. The Preparatory Conferences (August-September 1978

DII. The UN Conference on the Use of Certain Weapons (September 1979

E. The Flechette Weapon and the History of CCW Review

EI. A Convention in Neglect (1980-1995)

EII. First Review Conference (1995-1996)

EIII. Second Review Conference (2001)

EIV. Third Review Conference (2006)

Chapter 3 Five Refl ections

A. The Disappearance of Free-fall Air-dropped Flechettes

B. Legal Restraints on the Use of Free-fall Air-dropped Flechettes in WWI

C. Defeating “A Swarming Foe”: On the Eff ectiveness ofFlechettes in the Vietnam War

D. The Introduction of Flechettes into the Vietnam War and the Question of Political Sanction

E. The Failure to Ban Flechettes: The Political Dimension of the Diplomatic Conference and the CCW’s Frameworks

Part II. Flechette Weapons:The Israeli Case

Chapter 4 Israel’s Policy

A. Procurement and Indigenous Improvements

B. Use in Southern Lebanon (1982-2000)

BI. The Period of Silence (1982-1985)

BII. Keeping a Low Profi le (1985-1993)

BIII. The Media Wakes Up (1994-2000)

C. Use in The Gaza Strip (2001-2005): High Profile Incidents and Th eir Aftermath

CI. The Bedouin Camp – (June 2001)

CII. The Three Youths – (December 2001)

CIII. The al Hajan family – (August 2002)

Chapter 5 The Internal Legal Battle

A. Prelude

B. Petitioners’ Claims – Overview and Comments

BI. The Concept of “Three Layers”

BII. The First Layer: The Law of Weaponry

(a) The Principal of Distinction

(b) The Principle Prohibiting Unnecessary Suff ering

C. The State’s Response – Overview and Comments

CI. Treaty Law Concerning Means of Warfare

CII. The International Practice

D. The HCJ’s Legal Review and Ruling: Overview and Comments

DI. The Factual Flaw: Ignoring the Petitioner’s Main Case

DII. Legal Flaws: Ignoring Customary International Law

Chapter 6 Five Refl ections

A. The Low Profile Policy after the 2003 HCJ Decision: Origins and Implications

B. Flechette Use in Operation Cast Lead: The Goldstone Reportand Israel’s Position

C. “From Warfare to Lawfare”: The Flechette Decision, the Court and the Role of Politics

D. The Use of Flechettes in The Gaza Strip: Some Refl ections onthe Principles of Proportionality and Precautions in Attack

E. The Use of Flechettes in the Gaza Strip and Israel’s MAG: A Call for Specific Rules

Part III. Old Arguments, Fresh Victims and New Findings:The Legality of Flechette Weapons in International Customary Law – A Reappraisal

Chapter 7 Flechette Weapons and the Principle Prohibiting Unnecessary Suff ering

I. Introduction

B. Measures for Quantifying Suff ering: The Search for a Solid Scientific Basis of Comparison

C. Flechette Weapons and Unnecessary Suff ering or Superfl uous Injury

CI. Measures for Quantifying Suff ering

CII. Shotguns: World War I and the 1918 German Protest

CIII. The Dart’s Lethal Features

CIV. The ICRC’s Proposed Criteria for Superfluous Injury or Unnecessary Suff ering (The “SIrUS Project”)

D. Indispensability – The Question of “Military Necessity”

E. Concluding Remarks

Chapter 8 Flechette and the Principle of Distinction

A. The Prohibition on Use of Indiscriminate Weapons – A Legal History

B. Defining Inherently Indiscriminate Weapons – A Mission Impossible?

C. Are Flechette Weapons Prone to Inflicting Unacceptable Harmto Civilians?

D. Closing Remarks

Summary and Conclusions

Sources and Works Cited

Index of Persons

Index of Subjects