Countries around the world should establish an arms embargo on Israel and the Hezbollah militia in Lebanon, Amnesty International said Thursday, following reports that the United States used a British airport as a staging post for bombs destined for Israel.
"Direct targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure and launching indiscriminate and disproportionate attacks amount to war crimes," said Irene Khan, secretary general of the London-based human rights group.
"Governments supplying Israel and Hezbollah with arms and military equipment are fuelling their capacity to commit war crimes. All governments should impose an arms embargo on both sides and refuse permission for their territories to be used for the transfer of arms and military equipment."
Recent reports have alleged that two Airbus A310 cargo planes filled with GBU28 laser-guided missiles stopped at Glasgow Prestwick Airport over the weekend for refuelling and for the crew to rest en route to Israel.
Asked whether it was acceptable for a British airport to be used as a staging post for transporting weapons, Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett told Channel Four television: "No I am not happy about it".
Amnesty's Khan said: "The UK government should refuse permission for its sea and air ports to be used by planes or ships carrying arms and military equipment destined for Israel or Hezbollah."
The human rights group also called on Britain to suspend the sale or transfer of all military equipment to Israel.
"It is ridiculous to talk about providing humanitarian aid on the one hand, and to provide arms on the other.
"In the face of such human suffering in Lebanon and Israel, it is imperative that all governments stop the supply of arms and weapons to both sides immediately," Khan said.
Continued Israeli air strikes on Lebanon, as well as clashes between Israeli military forces and Hezbollah, have now killed 420 people in the past two weeks, 349 of them civilians.
The death toll of Israelis stands at 51, the majority of them soldiers.
