Israel Should be Tried for War Crimes

Kawther Salim

Jan. 15 2010 (AP). Israelis who authorized the use of white phosphorous in densely populated Gaza should be tried for war crimes, a British Labour Party legislator said Friday, after entering the Hamas-ruled territory with 60 European parliamentarians.

The lawmakers are visiting Gaza to draw attention to the territory’s “evil blockade” by Israel and Egypt, said the Labour legislator, Gerald Kaufman. The closure was first imposed in 2006, after Hamas-allied militants captured an Israeli soldier.

Kaufman also spoke in support of attempts by pro-Palestinian groups in Britain to get Israeli politicians and army officers arrested once they step on British soil. Britain has a “universal jurisdiction” law that allows prosecution of alleged war criminals whose crimes have no direct connection with Britain.

“We have had a fuss in our country about the inability of certain Israeli politicians to visit Britain for fear of being arrested,” said Kaufman, frequently an outspoken critic of Israeli policies. “Anybody who uses white phosphorus should be arrested and should be tried for war crimes.”

“But when we read of an Israeli politician being afraid of being arrested in Britain, we remember that 1.5 million people in Gaza are under arrest every day of their lives by the Israelis, suffering depravation, hunger, lack of satisfactory medical treatment, lack of screws to put school desks together so your children can learn,” Kaufman added.

In Beirut, meanwhile, the top leader of Hamas, Khaled Mashaal, urged Egypt to stop its construction of an underground steel wall along its border with Gaza. Walls are built “between enemies, not brothers,” Mashaal said in a rare criticism of Egypt.

Egypt’s underground anti-tunnel barrier of steel beams, now under construction, could eventually seal Gaza’s southern border, block hundreds of smuggling tunnels and deprive Gaza’s Hamas rulers of their only lifeline.

Speaking at a conference in Beirut, the Damascus, Syria-based Mashaal urged Egypt to take “its rightful, leading role” in the Arab and Muslim world and force Israel to lift its siege on Gaza.

EU parliamentary delegation visits blockaded Gaza

[ 15/01/2010 - 11:38 PM ]

GAZA, (PIC)-- A high-ranking European parliamentary delegation arrived Friday in the Gaza Strip to express solidarity with the besieged Gaza people and to see for themselves the effects of the Israeli war on Gaza.

The delegation, which comprises 56 parliament members from 12 European countries and the European Union, is headed by Sir Gerald Kaufman, a veteran British MP.

They crossed into Gaza on Friday afternoon through the Rafah border crossing with Egypt where they were received by an official Palestinian parliamentary delegation headed by the first deputy speaker Dr. Ahmad Bahar.

Speaking at a news conference at the Rafah crossing, Sir Gerald Kauffman said that the visit of the delegation was a message of solidarity with Gaza and called for an end to the Israeli siege.

He also said: "anybody who uses white phosphorous should be arrested and should be tried for war crimes".

Kauffman said that while many Israeli leaders avoid travelling to European countries for fear of being arrested, we know that there are 1.5 million human beings in the Gaza Strip suffering because of the Israeli siege.

Meanwhile, Deputy Speaker of the PLC, told reporters that the visiting delegation know the extent of destruction caused by the Israeli war on Gaza, but now they will see that destruction for themselves.
Also see the press conference held by members of the delegation prior to their arrival in Gaza




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