Michigan - The American Center for Justice (ACJ)  sent a letter on Monday to the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission in the U.S. Congress condemning Israeli attacks on Yemen’s Hodeidah port and urging pressure on Israel to stop violating Yemeni sovereignty and endangering civilian lives, as well as targeting civilian objects.

The letter expressed the center's deep concern and condemnation of the attacks carried out by Israeli aircraft on the afternoon of Saturday, July 20, 2024, on the port of Hodeidah in Yemen, which resulted in the death of seven people and injured eighty-seven others. It also led to the destruction of the port, fuel tanks, and terrorizing the population.

The ACJ also expressed its shock at the statements made by an Israeli official that the Israeli raid was carried out in coordination with the United States and the international coalition in response to Houthi attacks, without any regard for the consequences of targeting civilian objects and the potential civilian casualties from such attacks.

In its letter, the ACJ emphasized its stance against these attacks, affirming that targeting civilian infrastructure not only violates international legal standards but also infringes upon the 
principle of the independence, security, and safety of Yemen and its citizens. Additionally, it exacerbates the already deteriorating humanitarian situation in Yemen by depriving the population of essential goods and supplies.

The center also reviewed the legal aspect of these attacks, stressing that such actions are a blatant violation of international humanitarian law, which provides stringent protection for civilian objects during armed conflicts. This is based on Article 52 of the First Additional Protocol to the Geneva Conventions of 1949, which states that "civilian objects shall not be the object of attack or reprisals." Article 48 of the same protocol emphasizes the need to distinguish between civilians and combatants and between civilian objects and military objectives, highlighting the principles of proportionality and necessity in military operations.

The ACJ concluded its letter by urging members of the U.S. Congress to condemn the Israeli attacks and call for the cessation of Israeli military operations in Yemen and Gaza that result in civilian casualties and suffering.

Latifa Jamel, President of the American Center for Justice, stated, "The letter we are sending to Congress through the Human Rights Commission is not only due to the close relationship between the United States and Israel but because the attack on Hodeidah port, which resulted in Yemeni civilian casualties, was coordinated with the United States. This requires a clear stance from Congress regarding the practices of the executive branch, especially the principle of protecting civilians and human rights."