EU lawyers: We've got names of IDF officers suspected of war crimes

[Scurrilous]

<snip>

"Human rights lawyers and pro-Palestinian activists in a number of European countries hold lists with names of Israel Defense Forces soldiers allegedly linked to war crimes committed during Operation Cast Lead in the Gaza Strip. Existing legislation enables arrest warrants to be issued against these officers if they enter those countries.

Lawyers in Britain and other European countries have been collecting testimonies of Palestinians and other data from Gaza since January, which they maintain proves that war crimes were committed by the IDF during the offensive. The evidence is linked to IDF officers holding ranks of battalion commander and higher, who were in command during various stages of Cast Lead.

The other nations who have lawyers collecting information on the matter include the Netherlands, Spain, Belgium and Norway, whose laws, as well as Britain's, allow the issuance of arrest warrants against foreign citizens suspected of war crimes.

Attorney Daniel Makover from London is coordinating the efforts in Britain. One of his colleagues visited the Gaza Strip several weeks after the fighting in order to collect testimonies. Palestinians civilians also gave the legal assistant their approval, and asked that he file the suits in their name, in line with British law.

Speaking to Haaretz, Makover refused to offer details on the identity of the IDF officers or how many were listed, but said that much depends on the specific details of each case. Makover said that anyone who was involved in an incident may face criminal charges. The attorney added that there are officers who are obviously candidates for charges, and others who are less obvious, but emphasized that it depends on the facts collected on the ground."

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[clear eye]

1. Double-edged sword.

It's glaringly obvious that Israel is more powerful militarily than the Palestinians and are at no risk of being physically defeated by them. It is equally true that Israel has much fewer resources than it's petro-dollar regional neighbors like Iran and Saudi Arabia. Israelis are always aware that if the U.S. decided to significantly reduce its military support, surrounding hostile nations might gain the courage to back serious forays against it via proxies like Syria or via unmanned missiles. The effects on Israel of this simple calculus always seems to escape the Europeans.

While acting to prevent civilian deaths is mandatory, and the UN should act for that purpose more often, not less, and in more places around the world, how does it advance peace to make Israelis feel more endangered in the world by pointedly only identifying the brutalizers amongst them and not also those who set off rockets aimed at Israeli civilians?

I know the immediate reaction of some will be to say that Israel itself inflicted more than enough punishment. Punishment is not the issue. The whole problem in the conflict is acts of collective punishment of both sides against the other. Singling out the actual individual Palestinians who at the very least attempted war crimes by aiming rockets at the neighboring country's populace would, for the first time, make the issue not about which side is behaving worse or is justified in doing what, but about what behaviors won't the world tolerate by either side. That could be the start of an Israel secure enough to be magnanimous, humane, instead of more defensive and intransigent.

[Recursion]

3. Guess what: when Hamas members travel to Europe...

...they'll have arrests warrants out for them, too. Problem solved.

[xc8mip]

9. Kinda hard to break out of Gaza siege

And resisting occupation is perfectly reasonable and legal, What in your opinion would justify warrant arrests for Non-Israelis?

[Recursion]

10. That comes with being classified as a terrorist organization

I actually think Hamas is the best realistic "partner for peace" among the Palestinians, though they will need a Nixon to China moment first, so I don't like that their members are subject to arrest and/or summary execution at any moment, but that's a fact.

[ProgressiveMuslim]

2. It's a new day in I/P-ville. nt

[Scurrilous]

4. Deputy FM Ayalon won't cut U.K. trip short, despite arrest threat

<snip>

"Deputy Foreign Minister Daniel Ayalon will not shorten his visit to Britain despite efforts by pro-Palestinian organizations to petition for his arrest there, Army Radio reported on Tuesday.

The Israeli embassy in London plans on beefing up Ayalon's security detail, according to Army Radio. This is the first time pro-Palestinian groups have sought to take legal steps against non-military Israeli officials, Army Radio reported.

Last month, British authorities rejected a petition to arrest Defense Minister Ehud Barak on suspicion of war crimes.

Human rights lawyers and pro-Palestinian activists in a number of European countries hold lists with names of Israel Defense Forces soldiers allegedly linked to war crimes committed during Operation Cast Lead in the Gaza Strip. Existing legislation enables arrest warrants to be issued against these officers if they enter those countries.

Lawyers in Britain and other European countries have been collecting testimonies of Palestinians and other data from Gaza since January, which they maintain proves that war crimes were committed by the IDF during the offensive. The evidence is linked to IDF officers holding ranks of battalion commander and higher, who were in command during various stages of Cast Lead."

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[Scurrilous]

5. Ya'alon: I'll forego Europe trips to allow IDF freedom

<snip>

"Vice Prime Minister Moshe Ya'alon on Wednesday said he is "willing to forego visits to European capitals and to allow the Israel Defense Forces the freedom to act."

The former IDF chief of staff is one of several current and former senior Israeli officials whom pro-Palestinian groups have sought to put on trial over the assassination of senior Hamas terrorist Salah Shehadeh in July 2002. The attack also killed 14 civilians.

Ya'alon recently canceled a trip to Britain for fear of being arrested there. On Wednesday he told Army Radio that he doesn't see travel cancellations as a "big loss."

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[imdjh]

6. It would be funny if the IDF would send the "human rights lawyers" a phonebook and a note...

.... which reads, "Now you have an even longer list of names. Don't say we never gave you anything."

[imdjh]

7. "Lawyers in Britain and other European countries" The ones who greet Mugabe as if he were human?

[LeftishBrit]

8. Mugabe isn't even generally allowed to visit EU countries

There are exceptions made for UN events, but this is not up to Britain or the other EU countries, and we object. When he appeared at a recent UN event, Britain refused to send a representative.

I agree with the ban on Mugabe, but don't know where you get the idea that he's persona grata in Europe.