Israel’s bombardment of Gaza is not self-defence – it’s a war crime

Israel’s bombardment of Gaza is not self-defence – it’s a war crime

January 11, 2009

ISRAEL has sought to justify its military attacks on Gaza by stating that it amounts to an act of “self-defence” as recognised by Article 51, United Nations Charter. We categorically reject this contention.

The rocket attacks on Israel by Hamas deplorable as they are, do not, in terms of scale and effect amount to an armed attack entitling Israel to rely on self-defence. Under international law self-defence is an act of last resort and is subject to the customary rules of proportionality and necessity.

The killing of almost 800 Palestinians, mostly civilians, and more than 3,000 injuries, accompanied by the destruction of schools, mosques, houses, UN compounds and government buildings, which Israel has a responsibility to protect under the Fourth Geneva Convention, is not commensurate to the deaths caused by Hamas rocket fire.

For 18 months Israel had imposed an unlawful blockade on the coastal strip that brought Gazan society to the brink of collapse. In the three years after Israel’s redeployment from Gaza, 11 Israelis were killed by rocket fire. And yet in 2005-8, according to the UN, the Israeli army killed about 1,250 Palestinians in Gaza, including 222 children. Throughout this time the Gaza Strip remained occupied territory under international law because Israel maintained effective control over it.

Israel’s actions amount to aggression, not self-defence, not least because its assault on Gaza was unnecessary. Israel could have agreed to renew the truce with Hamas. Instead it killed 225 Palestinians on the first day of its attack. As things stand, its invasion and bombardment of Gaza amounts to collective punishment of Gaza’s 1.5m inhabitants contrary to international humanitarian and human rights law. In addition, the blockade of humanitarian relief, the destruction of civilian infrastructure, and preventing access to basic necessities such as food and fuel, are prima facie war crimes.

We condemn the firing of rockets by Hamas into Israel and suicide bombings which are also contrary to international humanitarian law and are war crimes. Israel has a right to take reasonable and proportionate means to protect its civilian population from such attacks. However, the manner and scale of its operations in Gaza amount to an act of aggression and is contrary to international law, notwithstanding the rocket attacks by Hamas.

Ian Brownlie QC, Blackstone Chambers

Mark Muller QC, Bar Human Rights Committee of England and Wales

Michael Mansfield QC and Joel Bennathan QC, Tooks Chambers

Sir Geoffrey Bindman, University College, London

Professor Richard Falk, Princeton University

Professor M Cherif Bassiouni, DePaul University, Chicago

Professor Christine Chinkin, LSE

Professor John B Quigley, Ohio State University

Professor Iain Scobbie and Victor Kattan, School of Oriental and African Studies

Professor Vera Gowlland-Debbas, Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva

Professor Said Mahmoudi, Stockholm University

Professor Max du Plessis, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban

Professor Bill Bowring, Birkbeck College

Professor Joshua Castellino, Middlesex University

Professor Thomas Skouteris and Professor Michael Kagan, American University of Cairo

Professor Javaid Rehman, Brunel University

Daniel Machover, Chairman, Lawyers for Palestinian Human Rights

Dr Phoebe Okawa, Queen Mary University

John Strawson, University of East London

Dr Nisrine Abiad, British Institute of International and Comparative Law

Dr Michael Kearney, University of York

Dr Shane Darcy, National University of Ireland, Galway

Dr Michelle Burgis, University of St Andrews

Dr Niaz Shah, University of Hull

Liz Davies, Chair, Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyer

Prof Michael Lynk, The University of Western Ontario

Steve Kamlish QC and Michael Topolski QC, Tooks Chambers

Seems

...that Annie Lennox is right. It's not a war, it's a massacre.

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/massacre

Of course, so is Iraq, and Afghanistan.

But in this case, could it be that they're intentionally building outrage, in order to prepare a framework for a larger "incident"?

These are all 911 wars: Branding any resistance as terrorism

Greetings from France:

The sooner the Truth comes out, the sooner will we have peace and prosperity for all in the world.

We all know that the world is now governed by a criminal syndicate.

The sooner we can prove 911 Truth in a court of law (in any Western country, even tiny Luxembourg), the sooner will we have peace on this beautiful world.

Secret services around the world must KNOW what we here in the international 911 Truth movement know: 911 is an inside job. They must be complicit. Just as they are complicit in raking up private finances through the sale of drugs. Then there is forensic evidence that no judge nor parliament, anywhere, dares look, for fear of life and fortune.

You are right! We know the tactics.

As everyone else here at 911 blogger knows, Gaza is the last gasp of a dying Roman empire. Nuke Iran, kill the Palestinian resistance, make war with the Chinese in Africa, bomb Lebanon, invade Iraq, assassinate by trained squads in Latin America, kill Afghanis! "We are the Tyrants of the World!", they say in their last breath of life.

Now "they" are trying to blame Iran and Syria, the last vestiges of resistant regimes. But the PEOPLE of Egypt know the Truth, by underground tunnels.

EXODIS!

No loss of pay-check, exodus folks. The financial world is in any case Kaput by the same Zionist Kabal operating state sponsored financial Ponzi schemes. Some people say that Amerika will soon be forced to abandon seven hundred international USA bases together with thousands of USA troupes because the USA soon cannot pay for the repatriation of deployed USA armies. Let abandoned American soldiers beg in the allies of Baghdad.

Makes me wonder what happened to the missing 3 trillion of USA Pentagon dollars that Brave Cynthia (save Gaza from death) McKinny was asking Pentagon Chief (shock and awe) Rumsfeld. Part of these funds, certainly have been used to get certain people elected all over the world, to spread democracy.

Worldwide EXODIS and STRIKE in the name of Truth and Justice!
No more collaboration in crimes against humanity!

Unless, of course, honourable Barak Hussien Obama means Real Change, instead of us going the EXODIS rout accross the Red Sea of blood.
But Obama surrounds himself with Neocon Zionists;
Under Obama, USA armed forces will still be in the charge of the CIA .
And Clitary will be Secretary of State

This is not a gloomy picture
Good Morning Sunshine of Truth

Somebody

get her on 911 Truth.

If she is not already aware.
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The CONSTITUTION is NOT going to "collapse" into pulverized dust no matter how much thermate/explosives or planes they throw at it

Absolutely correct.

"murder" v. tr.
- To kill brutally or inhumanly.

- committed purposely, knowingly, and recklessly with extreme indifference to human life

Israel knows damn well that Hamas hides among the civilian population, like in schools and mosques. For Israel to bomb these targets anyway shows recklessness and extreme indifference to human life.

From 2002 to December of 2008, Hamas rockets have killed 19 Israeli civillians:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/dec/30/israel-hamas-gaza

As of this post, almost 900 Palestinians have been killed and 3500 injured from Israel's attack on Gaza.

19 Israelis killed over a 6 year period versus 900+ Palestinians over 2 weeks. Very highly disproportionate.

Please sign this international emergency petition calling for the end to the Gaza massacre:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/gaza_time_for_peace/

I wonder..

I wonder why if some countries have suffered economic sanctions even though their leaders were falsely accused, Israel has not.

From WhatReallyHappened.com

Jan 13 09:56
US Government denies story that Bush left podium to take Olmert call.
Tags: COVER-UP/DECEPTIONS ISRAEL

Olmert said he told Bush that the United States should not vote in favour, and the U.S. president then called Rice and told her not to do so.

A senior U.S. official disputed the account.

"The government of Israel does not make policy for the United States," the official said on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the diplomacy.

Mike Rivero comments :

"Israel does not control the United States and I have Israel's permission to say so!" -- Official White Horse Souse

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Pls also visit : http://www.thankyoujonstewart.com/

On The Daily Show's January 5 "Strip Maul" segment, Jon Stewart did what few American television personalities have dared to do: he criticized Israel's campaign against Gaza, making it clear that bombing will not bring peace for Israelis or Palestinians. He mocked the one-sided response of U.S. politicians by calling the Israeli-Palestinian conflict the "Mobius strip of issues because there's only one side!" He's sure to get thousands of complaints, so send Jon a letter of appreciation and then ask all your friends to watch this segment.

http://www.comedycentral.com

Also : Israel admits: "No Hamas rockets were fired during ceasefire"

The Israeli Spokesman (Australian born!) Merk Regev, accepts that Hamas did NOT violate the Ceasefire UNTIL AFTER Israel attacked the Gaza Strip on the 4th November! This proves that it was ISRAEL that broke the ceasefire!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfFMZ7Y-s_c

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The CONSTITUTION is NOT going to "collapse" into pulverized dust no matter how much thermate/explosives or planes they throw at it

Must see: Pro-Israel Rally For Attacking Gaza, NYC, 1-11-09

Hilarious, pitiful, and tragic... What Truth is up against.
Max Blumenthal is a real hero:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FABqq_jjRRo
http://www.alternet.org/story/119372

If they can do this

FOCUSED LETHALITY:Phosphorous Bomb Rain Over Northern Gaza

http://www.uruknet.info/?p=m50761&hd=&size=1&l=e

On Friday,PCHR,the Palestinian Center for Human Rights in Gaza accused in a statement, the Israelis of using phosphorous bombs over Gaza Strip.Raji Sourani, the chairman of PCHR, said that "This is not the first time we [PCHR] have documented the Israelis use of prohibited chemical weapons against the Gaza civilian population.The HRW Human Rights Watch senior analyst Marc Garlasco said in an interview on France Chanel 4 TV that .."Israeli artillery bursted fire of white phosphorous shells over Gaza City."Garlasco said .."I have been standing at the border for the last few days ,watching Israeli artillery firing white phosphorus shells into refugee camps".

Is this then so hard to believe:

Israeli Wiretappers, the NSA, and 9/11 : http://911blogger.com/node/18981

Questions, again...

Why is NONE of this information in the 9/11 Commission Final Report?

Did the NSA sub-contract NICE Systems and other Israeli wiretappers to monitor the alleged 9/11 hijackers? And does this in turn explain why the Israelis were simply deported for "immigration" violations?

How could the Israelis be in such uncanny proximity with the alleged hijackers without MASSIVE foreknowledge of their plans, identities, and locations?

Is possible collusion between NSA and the Israelis only the tip of the iceberg?** And will further digging reveal operational relationships between the Israelis and other U.S. intelligence services or Private Military Contractors (PMCs)?

Is the "Wiretappers" story merely very complex cover for the actual activities of the Israelis, including far more destructive uses of moving vans?

Or, are stories about explosives being linked to the Urban Moving Systems vans clever disinfo to lead away from HUMINT and SIGINT being conducted by the Israelis?

Were the Israelis merely shepherds, keeping an eye on U.S. intel assets, assets that had been tagged for a future activity?

If the Israelis are our friends... why didn't they stop the hijackers?

Perhaps the quote attributed to one of the New Jersey Israelis explains it best (see Shea's memo);

"We are Israeli. We are not your problem. Your problems are our problems. The Palestinians are the problem."

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911 seemed to be a TEST of Psychological Terror Based Warfare Conditioning. To herd the sheep into a fascist dictatorship. The same weapons used in Palestine / Gaza WILL be used by the Military Industrial Complex on American Soil.

It looks like the Military-Political Zioni$t$ may be the real problem. On both sides of the aisle.

I am sure $ucce$ful weapon$ te$t$ will bring in more orders. What's a war crime to us is just a brochure for them.

One day, soon, American Children may be going through what the Palestinians are going through.

Just like this

The victims on 911 and the victims of the war crimes ongoing in Gaza now share the same criminal network of globalist mass murderers. We cannot deal with one and ignore the other.

No not just the Israeli military industrial complex but also a number of covert silent partners in the Arab nations, Europe, the US AND Asia.

Look at the contrast in Dubai and the refugee camps in Palestine. So its not just Tel-Aviv which is the problem.

The SILENT INACTION by the govts of the world on BOTH 911 TRUTH and the War Crimes in GAZA etc is telling.

Its up to the independent media and activists.

Govt by the Grassroots.
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The CONSTITUTION is NOT going to "collapse" into pulverized dust no matter how much thermate/explosives or planes they throw at it

Goliath brought down by a song

An unusually powerful piece of music, by the grace of Michael Heart.

The mighty state of Israel, with all its wealth and power; a true Goliath, brought down by a song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlfhoU66s4Y

powerful piece of music, by the grace of Michael Heart