29 may 2015
Shocking words from Israeli officials' and soldier testimonies of criminality reinforce immediate need for arms embargo and other sanctions, says the IPSC.
According to the PNN, the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign has distributed a new briefing paper to members of the Irish Parliament, members of the European Parliament and members of local Irish councils.
The IPSC stated its intention to give 'vital context to developments in the region' - from the 'Israeli soldiers testimonies about war crimes and murder of civilians, to the extremist statements by leading members of the Israeli political and military echelons' - which it said too often went unreported in the Irish media.
Titled Israel 2015: A government of extremists in charge of an-out-of control military, the paper is an in-depth investigation the extremist nature of the new Israeli government, the shocking views of its leading members, and the appalling recent record of the Israeli occupation forces in Gaza. Finally, the IPSC statement said, the document makes a series of recommendations that the Irish government must allegedly take to help ensure that Israel is held to account for its actions, and that the Palestinian people receive the justice they so richly deserve.
Related: "We Bombed Civilians for Entertainment."
Report: Israeli Soldiers Describe 'Losing Their Sense of Morality' During the Gaza Conflict
Breaking the Silence: Army Deliberately Targeted Civilians in Gaza
The Israeli officials' words and soldiers' testimonies contained in the document reinforce the immediate need for arms embargo and other sanctions against Israel, a course of action that Western governments have so far refused to follow, with predictably tragic results for the Palestinian people.
Click here to view the document.
See Documentary: Ireland & Palestine
According to the PNN, the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign has distributed a new briefing paper to members of the Irish Parliament, members of the European Parliament and members of local Irish councils.
The IPSC stated its intention to give 'vital context to developments in the region' - from the 'Israeli soldiers testimonies about war crimes and murder of civilians, to the extremist statements by leading members of the Israeli political and military echelons' - which it said too often went unreported in the Irish media.
Titled Israel 2015: A government of extremists in charge of an-out-of control military, the paper is an in-depth investigation the extremist nature of the new Israeli government, the shocking views of its leading members, and the appalling recent record of the Israeli occupation forces in Gaza. Finally, the IPSC statement said, the document makes a series of recommendations that the Irish government must allegedly take to help ensure that Israel is held to account for its actions, and that the Palestinian people receive the justice they so richly deserve.
Related: "We Bombed Civilians for Entertainment."
Report: Israeli Soldiers Describe 'Losing Their Sense of Morality' During the Gaza Conflict
Breaking the Silence: Army Deliberately Targeted Civilians in Gaza
The Israeli officials' words and soldiers' testimonies contained in the document reinforce the immediate need for arms embargo and other sanctions against Israel, a course of action that Western governments have so far refused to follow, with predictably tragic results for the Palestinian people.
Click here to view the document.
See Documentary: Ireland & Palestine
The Palestinian center for development and media freedoms (MADA) welcomes the UN Security Council resolution No. 2222 on the protection of journalists, which was adopted by all members on the day before yesterday (05/27/2015), which called on States and local and regional organizations to take advantage of best practices, experiences, and lessons learned on the protection of journalists, and it condemned all forms of abuses and violations and attacks against journalists during the period of armed conflicts, and it called on all parties in armed conflicts to respect the professional independence and rights of journalists, it also condemned the continued impunity of the aggressors on the journalists, and it called for bringing them to justice.
MADA monitored 465 violations during the past year alone, where the Israeli occupation forces committed 351 violations, including the killing of 17 journalists and media workers during its aggression in the Gaza Strip last summer, yet the IOF the aggressor has not been brought to justice for these crimes nor the ones committed throughout the previous decades, and even though the UN has allocated the 2nd of November as the World Day to end impunity of the aggressors against journalists.
while MADA welcomes this UN Security Council resolution to protect journalists during conflicts, we emphasize the need for the Security Council to take it upon themselves to apply the decision and to punish States and entities who continues its violations against journalists and media freedoms, including the state of Israel, which did not stop its attacks on journalists since the occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip in 1967.
The full text of resolution 2222 (2015) reads as follows:
"The Security Council
"Bearing in mind its primary responsibility under the Charter of the United Nations for the maintenance of international peace and security, and underlining the importance of taking measures aimed at conflict prevention and resolution,
"Reaffirming its resolutions 1265 (1999), 1296 (2000), 1674 (2006) and 1894 (2009) on the protection of civilians in armed conflict and its resolution 1738 (2006) on the protection of journalists, media professionals and associated personnel in armed conflicts as well as other relevant resolutions and presidential statements,
"Reaffirming its commitment to the Purposes of the Charter of the United Nations as set out in Article 1 (1-4) of the Charter, and to the Principles of the Charter as set out in Article 2 (1-7) of the Charter, including its commitment to the principles of the political independence, sovereign equality and territorial integrity of all States, and respect for the sovereignty of all States,
"Recalling the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, in particular the Third Geneva Convention of 12 August 1949 on the treatment of prisoners of war, and the Additional Protocols of 8 June 1977, in particular article 79 of the Additional Protocol I regarding the protection of journalists engaged in dangerous professional missions in areas of armed conflict,
"Recognizing that the work of journalists, media professionals, and associated personnel often puts them at specific risk of intimidation, harassment and violence in situations of armed conflict,
"Reaffirming that parties to an armed conflict bear the primary responsibility to take all feasible steps to ensure the protection of affected civilians, including those who exercise their right to freedom of expression by seeking, receiving and disseminating information by different means, online as well as offline, in accordance with Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,
"Recognizing the important role of international humanitarian law, and international human rights law as applicable, in protecting journalists, media professionals and associated personnel in armed conflicts,
"Further recognizing that States bear the primary responsibility to respect and ensure the human rights of their citizens, as well as individuals within their territory as provided for by relevant international law,
"Recalling the right to freedom of expression reflected in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the General Assembly in 1948 ("the Universal Declaration"), and recalling also the right to freedom of expression in Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights adopted by the General Assembly in 1966 ("ICCPR") and that any restrictions thereon shall only be such as are provided by law and are necessary on the grounds set out in paragraph 3 of Article 19 of the ICCPR,
"Deeply concerned at the frequency of acts of violence in many parts of the world against journalists, media professionals, and associated personnel in armed conflict, in particular deliberate attacks in violation of international humanitarian law,
"Emphasizing that there are existing prohibitions under international humanitarian law against attacks intentionally directed against civilians, as such, which in situations of armed conflict constitute war crimes, and recalling the need for States to end impunity for such criminal acts,
"Bearing in mind that impunity for crimes committed against journalists, media professionals and associated personnel in armed conflict remains a significant challenge to their protection and that ensuring accountability for crimes committed against them is a key element in preventing future attacks,
"Recognizing that journalists, media professionals and associated personnel can play an important role in protection of civilians and conflict prevention by acting as an early warning mechanism in identifying and reporting potential situations that could result in genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity,
"Reaffirming its condemnation of all incitements to violence against civilians in situations of armed conflict, and condemning the use of the media to incite violence, genocide, crimes against humanity and other serious violations of international humanitarian law,
"Recalling that States Parties to the Geneva Conventions have an obligation to search for persons alleged to have committed, or to have ordered to be committed a grave breach of these Conventions, and an obligation to try them before their own courts, regardless of their nationality, or may hand them over for trial to another concerned State provided this State has made out prima facie case against the said persons,
"Further recalling the responsibility of all Member States to comply with their respective obligations to end impunity and to investigate and prosecute those responsible for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes or other serious violations of international humanitarian law and noting that the fight against impunity for the most serious crimes of international concern committed against civilians has been strengthened through the work on and prosecution of these crimes by the International Criminal Court, in accordance with the principle of complementarity to national criminal jurisdictions as set out in the Rome Statute, ad hoc and mixed tribunals and specialized chambers in national tribunals,
"Expressing deep concern at the growing threat to the safety of journalists, media professionals, and associated personnel posed by terrorist groups and strongly condemning incidents of killings, kidnapping and hostage taking committed by terrorist groups for any purpose, including raising funds or gaining political concessions, and expressing its determination to prevent kidnapping and hostage taking committed by terrorist groups and to secure the safe release of hostages without ransom payments or political concessions, in accordance with applicable international law,
"Stressing the contribution that peacekeeping operations and special political missions, where mandated, can make to international efforts to promote and protect human rights, and the protection of civilians, including journalists, media professionals, and associated personnel including through monitoring and reporting on violations and abuses as well as providing support for national Governments' efforts to promote and protect human rights, and in order to strengthen the fight against impunity for crimes committed against civilians, including journalists, media professionals, and associated personnel,
"Recognizing the importance of a comprehensive, coherent and action-oriented approach, including in early planning, of protection of civilians in situations of armed conflict, stressing, in this regard, the need to adopt a broad strategy of conflict prevention, which addresses the root causes of armed conflict in a comprehensive manner in order to enhance the protection of civilians on a long-term basis, including by promoting sustainable development, poverty eradication, national reconciliation, good governance, democracy, the rule of law and respect for and protection of human rights,
"Acknowledging the important role that regional and subregional organizations can play in ensuring the protection of journalists, media professionals, and associated personnel in armed conflicts and the importance of effective cooperation between the United Nations and those organizations,
"Further acknowledging the specific risks faced by women journalists, media professionals and associated personnel in conduct of their work, and underlining in this context the importance of considering the gender dimension of measures to address their safety in situations of armed conflict,
"Recognizing that the consideration of the issue of protection of journalists in armed conflict by the Security Council is based on the urgency and importance of this issue, and recognizing the valuable role that the Secretary-General can play in providing more information on this issue,
"1. Condemns all violations and abuses committed against journalists, media professionals and associated personnel in situations of armed conflict, and calls upon all parties to armed conflict to bring an end to such practices;
"2. Affirms that the work of a free, independent and impartial media constitutes one of the essential foundations of a democratic society, and thereby can contribute to the protection of civilians;
"3. Recalls in this regard that journalists, media professionals and associated personnel engaged in dangerous professional missions in areas of armed conflict shall be considered as civilians and shall be respected and protected as such, provided that they take no action adversely affecting their status as civilians. This is without prejudice to the right of war correspondents accredited to the armed forces to the status of prisoners of war provided for in article 4.A.4 of the Third Geneva Convention;
"4. Strongly condemns the prevailing impunity for violations and abuses committed against journalists, media professionals and associated personnel in situations of armed conflict, which in turn may contribute to the recurrence of these acts;
"5. Emphasized the responsibility of States to comply with the relevant obligations under international law to end impunity and to prosecute those responsible for serious violations of international humanitarian law;
"6. Urges Member States to take appropriate steps to ensure accountability for crimes committed against journalists, media professionals and associated personnel in situations of armed conflict and through the conduct of impartial, independent and effective investigations within their jurisdiction and to bring perpetrators of such crimes to justice;
"7. Recalls its demand that all parties to an armed conflict comply fully with the obligations applicable to them under international law related to the protection of civilians in armed conflict, including journalists, media professionals and associated personnel;
"8. Urges the immediate and unconditional release of journalists, media professionals and associated personnel who have been kidnapped or taken as hostages, in situations of armed conflict;
"9. Urges all parties involved in situations of armed conflict to respect the professional independence and rights of journalists, media professionals and associated personnel as civilians;
"10. Recalls also that media equipment and installations constitute civilian objects, and in this respect shall not be the object of attack or of reprisals, unless they are military objectives;
"11. Recognizes the important role that education and training in international humanitarian law can play in supporting efforts to halt and prevent attacks against civilians affected by armed conflict, including journalists, media professionals and associated personnel;
"12. Affirms that United Nations peacekeeping and special political missions, where appropriate should include in their mandated reporting information on specific acts of violence against journalists, media professionals and associated personnel in situation of armed conflict;
"13. Urges all parties to armed conflict to do their utmost to prevent violations of international humanitarian law against civilians, including journalists, media professionals and associated personnel;
"14. Calls upon Member States to create and maintain, in law and in practice, a safe and enabling environment for journalists, media professionals and associated personnel to perform their work independently and without undue interference in situations of armed conflict;
"15. Stresses the need to ensure better cooperation and coordination at the international level, including among the United Nations and relevant international regional and subregional organizations, including through technical assistance and capacity-building, with regard to promoting and ensuring the safety of journalists, media professionals and associated personnel in armed conflicts;
"16. Encourages the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations to share expertise on good practices and lessons learned on protection of journalists, media professionals and associated personnel in armed conflict and, in close cooperation, to enhance the coherent and effective implementation of applicable international humanitarian law and relevant Security Council resolutions including those on protection of journalist, media professionals and associated personnel in situations of the armed conflict;
"17. Invites States which have not yet done so to consider becoming parties to the additional Protocols I and II of 1977 to the Geneva Conventions at the earliest possible date;
"18. Reaffirms that it will continue to address the issue of protection of journalists in armed conflict;
"19. Requests the Secretary-General to include consistently as a sub-item in his reports on the protection of civilians in armed conflict the issue of the safety and security of journalists, media professionals and associated personnel, including the existence of measures to protect such individuals facing an imminent threat, and to ensure that information on attacks and violence against journalists, media professionals and associated personnel and preventative actions taken to prevent such incidents is included as a specific aspect in relevant country specific reports."
MADA monitored 465 violations during the past year alone, where the Israeli occupation forces committed 351 violations, including the killing of 17 journalists and media workers during its aggression in the Gaza Strip last summer, yet the IOF the aggressor has not been brought to justice for these crimes nor the ones committed throughout the previous decades, and even though the UN has allocated the 2nd of November as the World Day to end impunity of the aggressors against journalists.
while MADA welcomes this UN Security Council resolution to protect journalists during conflicts, we emphasize the need for the Security Council to take it upon themselves to apply the decision and to punish States and entities who continues its violations against journalists and media freedoms, including the state of Israel, which did not stop its attacks on journalists since the occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip in 1967.
The full text of resolution 2222 (2015) reads as follows:
"The Security Council
"Bearing in mind its primary responsibility under the Charter of the United Nations for the maintenance of international peace and security, and underlining the importance of taking measures aimed at conflict prevention and resolution,
"Reaffirming its resolutions 1265 (1999), 1296 (2000), 1674 (2006) and 1894 (2009) on the protection of civilians in armed conflict and its resolution 1738 (2006) on the protection of journalists, media professionals and associated personnel in armed conflicts as well as other relevant resolutions and presidential statements,
"Reaffirming its commitment to the Purposes of the Charter of the United Nations as set out in Article 1 (1-4) of the Charter, and to the Principles of the Charter as set out in Article 2 (1-7) of the Charter, including its commitment to the principles of the political independence, sovereign equality and territorial integrity of all States, and respect for the sovereignty of all States,
"Recalling the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, in particular the Third Geneva Convention of 12 August 1949 on the treatment of prisoners of war, and the Additional Protocols of 8 June 1977, in particular article 79 of the Additional Protocol I regarding the protection of journalists engaged in dangerous professional missions in areas of armed conflict,
"Recognizing that the work of journalists, media professionals, and associated personnel often puts them at specific risk of intimidation, harassment and violence in situations of armed conflict,
"Reaffirming that parties to an armed conflict bear the primary responsibility to take all feasible steps to ensure the protection of affected civilians, including those who exercise their right to freedom of expression by seeking, receiving and disseminating information by different means, online as well as offline, in accordance with Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,
"Recognizing the important role of international humanitarian law, and international human rights law as applicable, in protecting journalists, media professionals and associated personnel in armed conflicts,
"Further recognizing that States bear the primary responsibility to respect and ensure the human rights of their citizens, as well as individuals within their territory as provided for by relevant international law,
"Recalling the right to freedom of expression reflected in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the General Assembly in 1948 ("the Universal Declaration"), and recalling also the right to freedom of expression in Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights adopted by the General Assembly in 1966 ("ICCPR") and that any restrictions thereon shall only be such as are provided by law and are necessary on the grounds set out in paragraph 3 of Article 19 of the ICCPR,
"Deeply concerned at the frequency of acts of violence in many parts of the world against journalists, media professionals, and associated personnel in armed conflict, in particular deliberate attacks in violation of international humanitarian law,
"Emphasizing that there are existing prohibitions under international humanitarian law against attacks intentionally directed against civilians, as such, which in situations of armed conflict constitute war crimes, and recalling the need for States to end impunity for such criminal acts,
"Bearing in mind that impunity for crimes committed against journalists, media professionals and associated personnel in armed conflict remains a significant challenge to their protection and that ensuring accountability for crimes committed against them is a key element in preventing future attacks,
"Recognizing that journalists, media professionals and associated personnel can play an important role in protection of civilians and conflict prevention by acting as an early warning mechanism in identifying and reporting potential situations that could result in genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity,
"Reaffirming its condemnation of all incitements to violence against civilians in situations of armed conflict, and condemning the use of the media to incite violence, genocide, crimes against humanity and other serious violations of international humanitarian law,
"Recalling that States Parties to the Geneva Conventions have an obligation to search for persons alleged to have committed, or to have ordered to be committed a grave breach of these Conventions, and an obligation to try them before their own courts, regardless of their nationality, or may hand them over for trial to another concerned State provided this State has made out prima facie case against the said persons,
"Further recalling the responsibility of all Member States to comply with their respective obligations to end impunity and to investigate and prosecute those responsible for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes or other serious violations of international humanitarian law and noting that the fight against impunity for the most serious crimes of international concern committed against civilians has been strengthened through the work on and prosecution of these crimes by the International Criminal Court, in accordance with the principle of complementarity to national criminal jurisdictions as set out in the Rome Statute, ad hoc and mixed tribunals and specialized chambers in national tribunals,
"Expressing deep concern at the growing threat to the safety of journalists, media professionals, and associated personnel posed by terrorist groups and strongly condemning incidents of killings, kidnapping and hostage taking committed by terrorist groups for any purpose, including raising funds or gaining political concessions, and expressing its determination to prevent kidnapping and hostage taking committed by terrorist groups and to secure the safe release of hostages without ransom payments or political concessions, in accordance with applicable international law,
"Stressing the contribution that peacekeeping operations and special political missions, where mandated, can make to international efforts to promote and protect human rights, and the protection of civilians, including journalists, media professionals, and associated personnel including through monitoring and reporting on violations and abuses as well as providing support for national Governments' efforts to promote and protect human rights, and in order to strengthen the fight against impunity for crimes committed against civilians, including journalists, media professionals, and associated personnel,
"Recognizing the importance of a comprehensive, coherent and action-oriented approach, including in early planning, of protection of civilians in situations of armed conflict, stressing, in this regard, the need to adopt a broad strategy of conflict prevention, which addresses the root causes of armed conflict in a comprehensive manner in order to enhance the protection of civilians on a long-term basis, including by promoting sustainable development, poverty eradication, national reconciliation, good governance, democracy, the rule of law and respect for and protection of human rights,
"Acknowledging the important role that regional and subregional organizations can play in ensuring the protection of journalists, media professionals, and associated personnel in armed conflicts and the importance of effective cooperation between the United Nations and those organizations,
"Further acknowledging the specific risks faced by women journalists, media professionals and associated personnel in conduct of their work, and underlining in this context the importance of considering the gender dimension of measures to address their safety in situations of armed conflict,
"Recognizing that the consideration of the issue of protection of journalists in armed conflict by the Security Council is based on the urgency and importance of this issue, and recognizing the valuable role that the Secretary-General can play in providing more information on this issue,
"1. Condemns all violations and abuses committed against journalists, media professionals and associated personnel in situations of armed conflict, and calls upon all parties to armed conflict to bring an end to such practices;
"2. Affirms that the work of a free, independent and impartial media constitutes one of the essential foundations of a democratic society, and thereby can contribute to the protection of civilians;
"3. Recalls in this regard that journalists, media professionals and associated personnel engaged in dangerous professional missions in areas of armed conflict shall be considered as civilians and shall be respected and protected as such, provided that they take no action adversely affecting their status as civilians. This is without prejudice to the right of war correspondents accredited to the armed forces to the status of prisoners of war provided for in article 4.A.4 of the Third Geneva Convention;
"4. Strongly condemns the prevailing impunity for violations and abuses committed against journalists, media professionals and associated personnel in situations of armed conflict, which in turn may contribute to the recurrence of these acts;
"5. Emphasized the responsibility of States to comply with the relevant obligations under international law to end impunity and to prosecute those responsible for serious violations of international humanitarian law;
"6. Urges Member States to take appropriate steps to ensure accountability for crimes committed against journalists, media professionals and associated personnel in situations of armed conflict and through the conduct of impartial, independent and effective investigations within their jurisdiction and to bring perpetrators of such crimes to justice;
"7. Recalls its demand that all parties to an armed conflict comply fully with the obligations applicable to them under international law related to the protection of civilians in armed conflict, including journalists, media professionals and associated personnel;
"8. Urges the immediate and unconditional release of journalists, media professionals and associated personnel who have been kidnapped or taken as hostages, in situations of armed conflict;
"9. Urges all parties involved in situations of armed conflict to respect the professional independence and rights of journalists, media professionals and associated personnel as civilians;
"10. Recalls also that media equipment and installations constitute civilian objects, and in this respect shall not be the object of attack or of reprisals, unless they are military objectives;
"11. Recognizes the important role that education and training in international humanitarian law can play in supporting efforts to halt and prevent attacks against civilians affected by armed conflict, including journalists, media professionals and associated personnel;
"12. Affirms that United Nations peacekeeping and special political missions, where appropriate should include in their mandated reporting information on specific acts of violence against journalists, media professionals and associated personnel in situation of armed conflict;
"13. Urges all parties to armed conflict to do their utmost to prevent violations of international humanitarian law against civilians, including journalists, media professionals and associated personnel;
"14. Calls upon Member States to create and maintain, in law and in practice, a safe and enabling environment for journalists, media professionals and associated personnel to perform their work independently and without undue interference in situations of armed conflict;
"15. Stresses the need to ensure better cooperation and coordination at the international level, including among the United Nations and relevant international regional and subregional organizations, including through technical assistance and capacity-building, with regard to promoting and ensuring the safety of journalists, media professionals and associated personnel in armed conflicts;
"16. Encourages the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations to share expertise on good practices and lessons learned on protection of journalists, media professionals and associated personnel in armed conflict and, in close cooperation, to enhance the coherent and effective implementation of applicable international humanitarian law and relevant Security Council resolutions including those on protection of journalist, media professionals and associated personnel in situations of the armed conflict;
"17. Invites States which have not yet done so to consider becoming parties to the additional Protocols I and II of 1977 to the Geneva Conventions at the earliest possible date;
"18. Reaffirms that it will continue to address the issue of protection of journalists in armed conflict;
"19. Requests the Secretary-General to include consistently as a sub-item in his reports on the protection of civilians in armed conflict the issue of the safety and security of journalists, media professionals and associated personnel, including the existence of measures to protect such individuals facing an imminent threat, and to ensure that information on attacks and violence against journalists, media professionals and associated personnel and preventative actions taken to prevent such incidents is included as a specific aspect in relevant country specific reports."
28 may 2015
Israeli and mainstream media have once again united in a chorus of righteous indignation following the release of Amnesty International's report "Strangling Necks – Abductions, torture and summary killings of Palestinians by Hamas forces during the 2014 Gaza/Israel conflict." That title –which makes a big mistake by describing Israel's offensive Operation Protective Edge as a "conflict" rather than colonial aggression - is surely intended to divert attention from the crucial element in question, that is, Israel's premeditated efforts to extend its colonial presence into the Gaza Strip.
Following a general introduction in which readers are reminded that "Hamas and Palestinian armed groups in Gaza committed war crimes by firing thousands of indiscriminate rockets and other projectiles into southern Israel", Amnesty proceeds with a discussion of executions carried out by Hamas of Palestinians accused of collaborating with Israel. The "research" for the report, as its methodology section testifies, was conducted by a single field worker based in Gaza, as opposed to a multidisciplinary team.
"The Israeli authorities," claims Amnesty, "have refused up to the time of finalizing this report, more than nine months after the hostilities ended, to allow Amnesty International and other researchers from international human rights organizations to enter the Gaza Strip through the Erez crossing with Israel, despite the organization' repeated requests for entry since the beginning of the conflict."
Departing from inaccessibility as well as the flawed premise of the "occupying power" as opposed to colonial entity, Amnesty embarks upon a criticism of Hamas's judicial system to pave the way for its subject; the execution of Palestinian collaborators whose actions on occasions brought about the killing, by Israel, of fellow Palestinians, most of them civilians.
Substantive quoting of international human rights law is utilized to provide a framework for the prohibition of executions, in particular through paraphrasing Article 8(2) of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court which prohibits torture and extrajudicial executions regardless of their roles.
Hamas spokesperson Fawzi Barhoum described the report as unprofessional and lacking credibility. "The report is dedicated against Palestinian resistance [to the Israeli occupation] and the Hamas movement... It deliberately exaggerated its descriptions without listening to all sides and without making an effort to check the veracity of details and information."
Amnesty International's earlier reports also discussed Israel war crimes committed against Palestinians in Gaza. However, as with most other major human rights organizations, Amnesty has embarked upon the usual strategy of manipulating language to suit alleged research purposes and, ultimately, an imperialist agenda. Apart from a generic and misleading context of Operation Protective Edge, the organization fails to acknowledge Israel's role in recruiting collaborators, a phenomenon that has occurred in other scenarios such as in Israeli jails holding Palestinian political prisoners.
Furthermore, the deliberate use of the term "occupying power" is creating a cycle in which Israel is absolved for its existence, resulting in the predictable reverberation of condemnation of its actions alongside its inevitable impunity. The report, therefore, has to be viewed as yet another exercise by an imperialist-aligned organization denying the reality that was Gaza last summer - the Palestinians' entirely legitimate resistance against Israeli colonial violence.
Following a general introduction in which readers are reminded that "Hamas and Palestinian armed groups in Gaza committed war crimes by firing thousands of indiscriminate rockets and other projectiles into southern Israel", Amnesty proceeds with a discussion of executions carried out by Hamas of Palestinians accused of collaborating with Israel. The "research" for the report, as its methodology section testifies, was conducted by a single field worker based in Gaza, as opposed to a multidisciplinary team.
"The Israeli authorities," claims Amnesty, "have refused up to the time of finalizing this report, more than nine months after the hostilities ended, to allow Amnesty International and other researchers from international human rights organizations to enter the Gaza Strip through the Erez crossing with Israel, despite the organization' repeated requests for entry since the beginning of the conflict."
Departing from inaccessibility as well as the flawed premise of the "occupying power" as opposed to colonial entity, Amnesty embarks upon a criticism of Hamas's judicial system to pave the way for its subject; the execution of Palestinian collaborators whose actions on occasions brought about the killing, by Israel, of fellow Palestinians, most of them civilians.
Substantive quoting of international human rights law is utilized to provide a framework for the prohibition of executions, in particular through paraphrasing Article 8(2) of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court which prohibits torture and extrajudicial executions regardless of their roles.
Hamas spokesperson Fawzi Barhoum described the report as unprofessional and lacking credibility. "The report is dedicated against Palestinian resistance [to the Israeli occupation] and the Hamas movement... It deliberately exaggerated its descriptions without listening to all sides and without making an effort to check the veracity of details and information."
Amnesty International's earlier reports also discussed Israel war crimes committed against Palestinians in Gaza. However, as with most other major human rights organizations, Amnesty has embarked upon the usual strategy of manipulating language to suit alleged research purposes and, ultimately, an imperialist agenda. Apart from a generic and misleading context of Operation Protective Edge, the organization fails to acknowledge Israel's role in recruiting collaborators, a phenomenon that has occurred in other scenarios such as in Israeli jails holding Palestinian political prisoners.
Furthermore, the deliberate use of the term "occupying power" is creating a cycle in which Israel is absolved for its existence, resulting in the predictable reverberation of condemnation of its actions alongside its inevitable impunity. The report, therefore, has to be viewed as yet another exercise by an imperialist-aligned organization denying the reality that was Gaza last summer - the Palestinians' entirely legitimate resistance against Israeli colonial violence.
Palestinian interior ministry in Gaza yesterday called on Amnesty International to be more accurate in its reports, describing a recent report regarding Hamas as "non-professional", Quds Press reported.
The international organization has recently issued a report accusing Hamas of carrying out crimes during last summer's Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip.
"Amnesty's report is exaggerated and based on a few incidents which took place at an exceptional time, during the savage Israeli aggression on Gaza," he said, regarding the execution of a number of Palestinians who were found to have collaborated with Israel.
To avoid such misinformation, the ministry spokesman Iyad al-Bozom said that the doors of all offices in his ministry are always open and ready to meet and cooperate with any local or international human rights organizations.
Amnesty accused Hamas of carrying out crimes following the execution of collaborators during last summer's war.
Hamas said that the report "politicized" the events and was not base on "professional criteria" because it only depended on "false claims" without contacting any officials or specialists.
The international organization has recently issued a report accusing Hamas of carrying out crimes during last summer's Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip.
"Amnesty's report is exaggerated and based on a few incidents which took place at an exceptional time, during the savage Israeli aggression on Gaza," he said, regarding the execution of a number of Palestinians who were found to have collaborated with Israel.
To avoid such misinformation, the ministry spokesman Iyad al-Bozom said that the doors of all offices in his ministry are always open and ready to meet and cooperate with any local or international human rights organizations.
Amnesty accused Hamas of carrying out crimes following the execution of collaborators during last summer's war.
Hamas said that the report "politicized" the events and was not base on "professional criteria" because it only depended on "false claims" without contacting any officials or specialists.
Deputy Speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) Dr. Ahmad Bahar called on the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon not to respond to the Israeli severe pressure which aims not to blacklist the Israeli army.
Dr. Ahmad Bahar hailed the recommendation, on children affairs in conflict areas, issued by Laila Zrouqi, the representative of the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.
The recommendation was for blacklisting the Israeli army due to its deliberate harming of Palestinian children in its last summer’s aggression on Gaza Strip.
In a statement on Thursday, Bahar said Zrouqi’s recommendation goes in line with the provisions of the international humanitarian law as well as the humanitarian values and moral principles.
He pointed out that special efforts of the UN, UN Security Council and other international organizations must be exerted to blacklist the Israeli government, army and security institutions for threatening international peace and security and committing war crimes against humanity.
The PLC Deputy Speaker Bahar urged the UN to enforce all the UN and UNSC’ resolutions which convict the Israeli occupation and its criminal and racist policies and plans over the Palestinian land.
Bahar also called on other international organizations and institutions to exert efforts for prosecuting the Israeli government and it army before competent international courts.
Dr. Ahmad Bahar hailed the recommendation, on children affairs in conflict areas, issued by Laila Zrouqi, the representative of the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.
The recommendation was for blacklisting the Israeli army due to its deliberate harming of Palestinian children in its last summer’s aggression on Gaza Strip.
In a statement on Thursday, Bahar said Zrouqi’s recommendation goes in line with the provisions of the international humanitarian law as well as the humanitarian values and moral principles.
He pointed out that special efforts of the UN, UN Security Council and other international organizations must be exerted to blacklist the Israeli government, army and security institutions for threatening international peace and security and committing war crimes against humanity.
The PLC Deputy Speaker Bahar urged the UN to enforce all the UN and UNSC’ resolutions which convict the Israeli occupation and its criminal and racist policies and plans over the Palestinian land.
Bahar also called on other international organizations and institutions to exert efforts for prosecuting the Israeli government and it army before competent international courts.
The UN special representative for children and armed conflict Ms. Leila Zerrougui has recommended to blacklist Israeli army along with terror organizations which are involved in war crimes against children, Israeli media reports said Thursday.
Yediot Aharanot newspaper revealed that the UN blacklist to be issued in the coming days includes al-Qaeda, Taliban, and the Islamic State, in addition to a number of terrorist organizations.
The recommendation was based on a report confirming Israel’s involvement in killing more than 500 Palestinian children and the injury of 3300 others during its summer aggression on Gaza.
"The Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon tends to reject the recommendation due to the Israeli continued pressures and threats," according to the newspaper.
The newspaper also pointed out that pro-Palestinian human rights institutions are exerting pressures for their parts to pass the recommendation.
UN senior officials have also called on Ki-moon to ignore Israeli pressures and to blacklist Israeli army, the sources added.
UN envoys wants IDF on blacklist with Islamic State
Israel pressuring UN chief Ban not to include it in list - which also includes al-Qaeda, Boko Haram and the Taliban - of organizations or countries that regularly cause harm to children.
The UN secretary-general's envoy for Children and Armed Conflict recommended this week to include the IDF on a blacklist of countries and organizations accused of regularly causing harm to children.
The blacklist includes terror organizations like al-Qaeda, Boko Haram, the Islamic State, and Taliban, as well as African countries such as the Republic of Congo, the Central African Republic and others.
The list will be released soon as an appendix to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's special report on the subject of children and armed conflict.
Ban is leaning towards not including the IDF on the list after facing massive pressure from Israel, which warned him that such a move will have far-reaching repercussions on Israel-UN relations.
On the other hand, the UN is also facing heavy pressure from the Palestinians, their supporters and human rights organizations to include the Israeli army on the list. Palestinians also benefit from the support of senior officials in the UN Secretariat, who are urging Ban not to give in to Israeli pressure. A senior UN official even claimed in a letter to Ban that Israeli representatives threatened her and her friends so that the IDF is not included on the list.
While the IDF is currently not on the list, Israeli officials said that "we won't rest easy until the last minute."
The secretary-general is supposed to come to a final decision on the matter in the next few days.
The envoy's draft report includes sharp criticism of Israel's treatment of children and mentions the fact that, according to UN figures, more than 500 children were killed and 3,300 were wounded during Operation Protective Edge last summer.
Israel sent its notes on the report, some of which were accepted with some of the wording softened. However, Israel's main concern was precisely the appendix - the same blacklist of "leprous countries and organizations" - which could open the door to demands for sanctions against Israel.
Those leading the fight to prevent the inclusion of Israel on the list are Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Foreign Ministry, the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, the IDF, and Israel's Ambassador to the UN Ron Prosor.
Last week, the Foreign Ministry held a briefing for dozens of diplomats from many countries together with the IDF and the Justice Ministry to describe the steps taken by the army to protect Israel during an armed conflict.
"We are continuing our efforts to persuade the secretary-general not to include Israel on the list," a senior Foreign Ministry official said.
"Israel-haters are threatening the United Nations and no one is complaining about them. It's a scandal and it's hypocrisy. There are unfortunately a lot of situations in which children are killed in zones of conflict and yet no one dares put them on the list. Do you know how many kids the Saudis have killed while bombing Yemen? I want to see the UN secretary-general's Algerian envoy dare to include Saudi Arabia on the list."
Netanyahu raised the issue of the list during his meeting on Wednesday with Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who is visiting Israel and about to announce his candidacy in the 2016 US presidential election.
Graham, who is considered a friend of Israel, told a news conference in Jerusalem, "There’s a report that may come out any day now where the United Nations is considering the State of Israel in the same category as Boko Haram when it comes to crimes against children,” he said.
“If that ever happened, if the United Nations embraced a report putting the State of Israel in the same categories with terrorist organizations in terms of the way they treat innocent people, particularly children, that would be an outrage that would not go unanswered."
Graham warned that if the UN continues to be hostile towards Israel, it risks a confrontation with the US Congress and the suspension of American aid, which amounts to one quarter of the UN's budget.
Yediot Aharanot newspaper revealed that the UN blacklist to be issued in the coming days includes al-Qaeda, Taliban, and the Islamic State, in addition to a number of terrorist organizations.
The recommendation was based on a report confirming Israel’s involvement in killing more than 500 Palestinian children and the injury of 3300 others during its summer aggression on Gaza.
"The Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon tends to reject the recommendation due to the Israeli continued pressures and threats," according to the newspaper.
The newspaper also pointed out that pro-Palestinian human rights institutions are exerting pressures for their parts to pass the recommendation.
UN senior officials have also called on Ki-moon to ignore Israeli pressures and to blacklist Israeli army, the sources added.
UN envoys wants IDF on blacklist with Islamic State
Israel pressuring UN chief Ban not to include it in list - which also includes al-Qaeda, Boko Haram and the Taliban - of organizations or countries that regularly cause harm to children.
The UN secretary-general's envoy for Children and Armed Conflict recommended this week to include the IDF on a blacklist of countries and organizations accused of regularly causing harm to children.
The blacklist includes terror organizations like al-Qaeda, Boko Haram, the Islamic State, and Taliban, as well as African countries such as the Republic of Congo, the Central African Republic and others.
The list will be released soon as an appendix to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's special report on the subject of children and armed conflict.
Ban is leaning towards not including the IDF on the list after facing massive pressure from Israel, which warned him that such a move will have far-reaching repercussions on Israel-UN relations.
On the other hand, the UN is also facing heavy pressure from the Palestinians, their supporters and human rights organizations to include the Israeli army on the list. Palestinians also benefit from the support of senior officials in the UN Secretariat, who are urging Ban not to give in to Israeli pressure. A senior UN official even claimed in a letter to Ban that Israeli representatives threatened her and her friends so that the IDF is not included on the list.
While the IDF is currently not on the list, Israeli officials said that "we won't rest easy until the last minute."
The secretary-general is supposed to come to a final decision on the matter in the next few days.
The envoy's draft report includes sharp criticism of Israel's treatment of children and mentions the fact that, according to UN figures, more than 500 children were killed and 3,300 were wounded during Operation Protective Edge last summer.
Israel sent its notes on the report, some of which were accepted with some of the wording softened. However, Israel's main concern was precisely the appendix - the same blacklist of "leprous countries and organizations" - which could open the door to demands for sanctions against Israel.
Those leading the fight to prevent the inclusion of Israel on the list are Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Foreign Ministry, the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, the IDF, and Israel's Ambassador to the UN Ron Prosor.
Last week, the Foreign Ministry held a briefing for dozens of diplomats from many countries together with the IDF and the Justice Ministry to describe the steps taken by the army to protect Israel during an armed conflict.
"We are continuing our efforts to persuade the secretary-general not to include Israel on the list," a senior Foreign Ministry official said.
"Israel-haters are threatening the United Nations and no one is complaining about them. It's a scandal and it's hypocrisy. There are unfortunately a lot of situations in which children are killed in zones of conflict and yet no one dares put them on the list. Do you know how many kids the Saudis have killed while bombing Yemen? I want to see the UN secretary-general's Algerian envoy dare to include Saudi Arabia on the list."
Netanyahu raised the issue of the list during his meeting on Wednesday with Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who is visiting Israel and about to announce his candidacy in the 2016 US presidential election.
Graham, who is considered a friend of Israel, told a news conference in Jerusalem, "There’s a report that may come out any day now where the United Nations is considering the State of Israel in the same category as Boko Haram when it comes to crimes against children,” he said.
“If that ever happened, if the United Nations embraced a report putting the State of Israel in the same categories with terrorist organizations in terms of the way they treat innocent people, particularly children, that would be an outrage that would not go unanswered."
Graham warned that if the UN continues to be hostile towards Israel, it risks a confrontation with the US Congress and the suspension of American aid, which amounts to one quarter of the UN's budget.
