The UN Human Rights Council are on the point of endorsing a report which condemns Israel of war crimes over its Palestinian neighbours in Gaza in January. The vote on the Goldstone Report is to take place in Geneva today, condemns both Hamas and Israel but the latter most for targeting civilians in the conflict in which 1000 Palestinians died compared to 13 Israelis. It calls for both sides to hold its own investigations within six months or face referral to the International Criminal Court.
Binyamin Netanyahu, the Israeli Prime Minister, is not happy either with the UKs decision to abstain on the vote or with the possibility of their soldiers facing charges of war crimes. He has made it clear that in his opinion no Israeli soldier or official will be prosecuted for war crimes over the offensive Speaking the Knesset he said:
"Israel will not take risks for peace if it can't defend itself."
The wording of the resolution had still to be resolved last night but barring the inclusion of Israel's right to self defence the UK and other EU countries are poised to abstain.
Netanyahu has been on the phone to Gordon Brown urging his UK opposite number to oppose the motion. In the "robust exchange" Netanyahu pleaded for the UK to oppose the motion or else it would derail the peace process. But Brown has returned back that if the authorities in Israel carry out their own investigation as laid out they can avoid censure.
As I blogged at the time action needs to be taken in this situation, Robert Frost may well have written "good walls make good neighbours" the problem with the Israeli walls is that they are bad walls and encroaching into their neighbours territory stealthily trying to grab back what was once theirs. I'm glad that the UN appear to be finally ding something about it and are recognising that Israel aren't entirely blameless, while they do have a right to self-defence they should not be the aggressor, act over proportionately, target civilians and crush/choke the life out of their opponent beyond the point of submission. It really is time for Netanyahu to face up to the facts that in January his commanders overstepped the mark.
Yigal Palmor, the Israeli Foreign Ministry said that adoption of the resolution would wreck the peace process: "It will make it impossible for us to take any risks for the sake of peace. What sort of peace process will there be?"
To be honest I think Israel really needs to reach forward a hand of friendship and settlement with its Arab neighbours to maintain a long term peace rather than reach for the sabre at every opportunity. The best first line of self-defence is not to have to in the first place. So to answer Mr Palmor I'd think there would be a far more constructive and sustainable peace.
To be honest I think Israel really needs to reach forward a hand of friendship and settlement with its Arab neighbours to maintain a long term peace rather than reach for the sabre at every opportunity.
ReplyDeleteAnd have you nothing to say about the constant rocket attacks on Sderot. The fact that Hamas and Hizbollah have vowed to destroy Israel.
It is not Israel has done nothing to bring peace. They have had peace with Egypt and Jordan for years now.
Jack the resolution doesn't pick sides both are called to investigate or face tribunial. The IRA also once said they would bomb the Brits out of Ireland and they are now in Government condemning violence and threats of a return to terrorism.
ReplyDeleteNeil Craig, I have removed your comment are you are being libelous about an individual. I was considering keeping it but it breached the law.
Obviously your claim that, in relation to Gaza & fighting there, Israel's "walls are encroaching in territory" is a lie. The inplication that they have not reached a hand of friendship to numerous Palestinian leaders is also a lie. The suggestion that they have been in any way whatsoever involved in war crimes is questionable & therefore by the standards you are claiming as justification for censorship of any criticism, based on evidence far stronger than anything existing against Israel, of your own party's leaders you could not have written this thread at all.
ReplyDeleteAlternately your "libelous" claim is merely a dishonest excuse since you know perfectly well that none of the people accused have sought to go to law or even to dispute the accuracy of what i said.
The other alternative being that your concern about protecting people from libel does not extend to Jews, as it clearly does not extend to Slavs.
Actually Neil not that you have made the 'potentially' libelous allegation against the individual, I'm going to let you comment stand. I will get around to answering the points raised later however as I only snatching 5 minutes online just now.
ReplyDeleteI take it when you got round to answering you found, yet again, that no credible answer to the point about LibDem complicity in genocide &no remotely comparable wrongdoing by Israelis was posible.
ReplyDeleteSorry Neil, that thing called life actually distracted me and I know I'd said I'd get back.
ReplyDeleteHowever, as I did say earlier in the year I did say I had a friend who was volunteering in a hospital out there. I've since see some of his pictures and video footage at the time.
The murder and ill treatment of civilians is a war crime as is the wanton destruction of cities, towns and villages, and any devastation not justified by military or civilian necessity. You care to argue that the razing of much of Gaza even when there was international cries for a ceasation was justified.
As for the claims of potential libel you did accuse an individual of membership of a group for which to the best of my knowledge there is no proof of. That is libel.