Communicated by the Foreign Ministry Spokesman   Jerusalem, 24 August 2000 Israel ratifies two Protocols of the Convention on Conventional Weapons The Government of Israel today (24 August) ratified two protocols of the Convention on Conventional Weapons: Protocol II (amended), which prohibits and limits the use and transfer of landmines, particularly anti-personnel mines; and Protocol IV, prohibiting the use and transfer of laser weapons designed to cause permanent blindness. The ratification came at the end of joint work by the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Defense and the IDF. The Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW) is an international convention in the area of arms control, humanitarian in nature, which places limitations and restraints on the use of different kinds of weapons, in order to limit the damage and suffering caused to civilians and soldiers resulting from their use. In 1995, Israel ratified two protocols: Protocol I, prohibiting the use of weapons undetectable by X-ray, and the original version of Protocol II on the subject of landmines. With today's ratification, Israel has become a party to the three protocols of the Convention. Moreover, in 1994, Israel unilaterally undertook to prohibit the export of anti-personnel mines and renews its commitment to this prohibition every three years. Israel's ratification of the protocols is a faithful expression of its policy, as a member of the family of enlightened nations, to adopt international agreements on the subject of arms control and humanitarian law, which contribute to stability and welfare, without harming its security interests. Joining Protocol II (amended) and IV enables Israel to continue to take an active part in the international effort to limit the harm caused to civilians as a result of the irresponsible and indiscriminate use of anti-personnel mines, as well as to prevent injury to civilians and soldiers as a result of the use of blinding laser weapons.