Unmasking Israel's Actions: White Phosphorus and International Law Breaches in Israel - Palestine Conflict

Israel has been accused of using White Phosphorus (WP) chemical weapons on populated areas. Although its use is not prohibited, there are several conditions that limit the use of WP in warfare as stipulated in International Humanitarian Law and several other international conventions. Israel argued that the use of WP was to cover the movement of their soldiers against Hamas soldiers and not to target people. This has drawn pros and cons from various legal experts and human rights observers. This article discusses the issue by focusing on the restrictions on the use of WP in international law. The method used is normative legal research that relies on international conventions. The conclusion obtained is that there is no prohibition on the use of WP in war, but it is necessary to pay attention to the objectives and procedures for using WP in war, such as not being used in community areas or by air. This answers the debate that Israel is guilty of misusing WP weapons in areas where there are communities.