Justice experts seek Israel-Gaza war crimes inquiry

[jimmy olsen]

I'm sure the whole process will be impartial and can't wait for the results. 

http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSLF572446

Justice experts seek Israel-Gaza war crimes inquiry
Sun Mar 15, 2009 8:00pm EDT

LONDON, March 16 (Reuters) - A group of leading judges and investigators called on Monday for a "prompt, independent and impartial" investigation into allegations of war crimes committed during Israel's conflict in Gaza earlier this year.

In a letter to the secretary general of the United Nations, the 16 signatories, including Richard Goldstone, a former chief prosecutor for Yugoslavia and Rwanda, and Nobel laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu, said both sides in the conflict had allegations to answer for and needed to be held to account.

"Allegations of serious violations of the laws of war have emerged throughout the latest Gaza conflict, relating to conduct and actions by both the Israeli military and by the Palestinian armed groups," the letter says.

"Without setting the record straight in a credible and impartial manner, it will be difficult for those communities that have borne the heavy cost of violence to move beyond the terrible aftermath of conflict.

"A prompt, independent and impartial investigation would provide a public record of gross violations of international humanitarian law committed and provide recommendations on how those responsible for crimes should be held to account."

Israel launched a three-week offensive in Gaza on Dec. 27, 2008, saying the land, sea and aerial attack was designed to put a stop to the firing of rockets across the border into southern Israel by militant groups, including Hamas.

A Palestinian human rights group said last week its own investigation had shown that 1,434 Gazans were killed during the conflict, including 960 civilians, 239 police officers and 235 fighters. Among the civilians were 288 children and 121 women.

In response to those findings, an Israeli military spokesman said the army had "made every effort to minimise harm to the civilian population". Thirteen Israelis were killed during the war, including 3 hit by rockets fired into Israel.

In their letter, Goldstone and others said they were "shocked to the core" by the events in Gaza and said an independent investigation was needed to adhere to the laws enshrined in the Geneva Conventions on conflict.

"The world must vigilantly demand respect for these standards and investigate and condemn their violations," said the letter, distributed by rights group Amnesty International.

It said the commission of enquiry should be established by the United Nations, but not be limited to investigating attacks on U.N. facilities and have the "greatest possible" expertise. (Reporting by Luke Baker; Editing by Janet Lawrence)

[garbon]

Who cares?

[Neil]

'Justice experts'?   

Besides, the Geneva Conventions are a dead letter.

[KRonn]

LONDON, March 16 (Reuters) - A group of leading judges and investigators called on Monday for a "prompt, independent and impartial" investigation into allegations of war crimes committed during Israel's conflict in Gaza earlier this year.

Good, so they'll investigate the madness and mayhem perpetrated by Hamas and their Iranian handlers! About time that these groups started focusing on the radicals, extremists and haters who block progress on peaceful resolutions to peace in the region.

Oh wait.. of course, they're going to investigate the Israelis!  What a surprise!

[Darth Wagtaros]

It made a big impression. I can tell.

[LaCroix]

provided the investigation really is "independent and impartial," i don't see anything wrong with that.

[Syt]

LaCroix: Look at the date of the original post.

[LaCroix]

LaCroix: Look at the date of the original post.

dangit wagtaros 

[Darth Wagtaros]

Just goes to show that Euros are dedicated to their one sided view of the Israeli-Palestinian Wars.

[LaCroix]

lots of americans have a one sided view, too

[Darth Wagtaros]

lots of americans have a one sided view, too

Nah.

[Valmy]

lots of americans have a one sided view, too

Oh for Godsake.  What do you Euros want from us?

Hamas in charge in Gaza is destroying the whole thing.  The left in Israel is totally discredited.  The right is in power now and the settlers are going to win.  The powers calling for annexations are gaining strength.  And why?  Hamas is in charge in Gaza.  They are provoking the Israelis and discrediting any movement to get the Israelis to pull out of anywhere else.  It is done, it is over and we are headed to a very dark place.  This has been true from the minute that Hamas took over in Gaza.  They want a war with Israel and delight with every civilian the Israelis kill, because that is what they want.  And so many Euros are their willing stooges, willing to celebrate the death cult and Jihadist ideology.  It is amazing I see Euros who are feminists supporting people who regard any idea that the role of women is to do anything but make more Jihadist a Zionist and Western plot.  The double think and blindness is amazing.

But I guess in the end the religious nuts are going to control Israel and we are going to get some bloody and horrible ethnic conflict. Well I guess we are seeing that but we still have a few moderate rightwing nuts holding the Isrealis back a bit.

Gaza is the key.  The moment Palestine's supposed friends did not support them once Israel pulled out and let Hamas set this situation up is when I realized Palestine really has no friends.  I personally have a deep feeling of national shame about this, we had been pressuring Israel to pull out and end their occupations forever and they did it and we blew it.  Big time.

It just boggles me mind we continue to give money and support to either side in this conflict.  There is no way it is going to go our way now....unless something changes in Gaza.  Gaza is the key.  But it just might be too far gone now.

[Admiral Yi]

LaCroix is not a Euro.

[The Brain]

There is no way it is going to go our way now....

Parking lot (verb)?

[Syt]

What gets me is people whining about the civilian dead who fail to see that while yes, it's regrettable, it's for a large part caused by Hamas hiding behind said civilians and daring IDF to shoot at them.

Not to mention that civilian casualties are, for the IDF, not their main goal, but rather a sad and unfortunate result of the battleground in Gaza. For Hamas, however, attacking and killing civilians is standard operation procedure.

I think the only way to have lasting peace in Gaza at this point is to take all Palestinian inhabitants and move them to the West Bank.