Switzerland says Israel breaking international law
RolandTD20Kdrummer
Posts: 13,066
....but...but... we bought all these bulldozers....we need to use them for something.....why not wreck some homes and murder families with them? I mean ...let's not overreact...were just having a little fun here trying to make some peace.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/world/AP/story/769594.html
"GENEVA -- Switzerland accused Israel on Thursday of wantonly destroying Palestinian homes in east Jerusalem and near Ramallah in violation of the Geneva Conventions' rules on military occupation.
The Swiss Foreign Ministry demanded that Israel immediately halt the demolitions, which Israel has said are aimed at removing illegally constructed shacks.
An Israeli Embassy spokeswoman in the Swiss capital of Bern said the decision to remove the structures was "not an arbitrary decision," but was sanctioned by law.
"This demolition of houses was done under a court order," embassy spokeswoman Shlomit Sufa said Thursday.
Switzerland - as the guardian of the Geneva Conventions - can call meetings of the treaty's signatories if it finds problems with its implementation, but does not have any special powers to enforce the document.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Lars Knuchel said the demolitions violated the 1949 Geneva Conventions, regarded as the cornerstone of international law on the obligations of warring and occupying powers. The Fourth Convention states that occupying powers must respect the property of civilian populations under their control.
Switzerland said it lodged a formal protest with the Israeli Foreign Ministry over recent demolitions, which now bring the tally to more than 600 destroyed homes in east Jerusalem and 1,600 altogether in the West Bank since 2000.
The Swiss statement, using unusually harsh language, said the neutral country "regards the recent incidents as violations of international humanitarian law" and notes "no military need to justify the destruction of these houses."
The Swiss statement called east Jerusalem an "integral part of the occupied Palestinian territory" - a phrase that could anger hardline Jewish groups that believe Israel should maintain control over the entire city. Israel captured east Jerusalem in the 1967 Mideast war, but Palestinians claim the territory as the capital of their hoped-for state.
Sufa said the Israeli government "regrets" that phrasing in the Swiss statement, noting the status of east Jerusalem and other territories is still subject to a final peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinian authorities.
The Jerusalem-based Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions said that so far this year dozens of Palestinian homes have been pulled down in east Jerusalem, and activists say the city has issued orders against 90 more homes."
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/world/AP/story/769594.html
"GENEVA -- Switzerland accused Israel on Thursday of wantonly destroying Palestinian homes in east Jerusalem and near Ramallah in violation of the Geneva Conventions' rules on military occupation.
The Swiss Foreign Ministry demanded that Israel immediately halt the demolitions, which Israel has said are aimed at removing illegally constructed shacks.
An Israeli Embassy spokeswoman in the Swiss capital of Bern said the decision to remove the structures was "not an arbitrary decision," but was sanctioned by law.
"This demolition of houses was done under a court order," embassy spokeswoman Shlomit Sufa said Thursday.
Switzerland - as the guardian of the Geneva Conventions - can call meetings of the treaty's signatories if it finds problems with its implementation, but does not have any special powers to enforce the document.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Lars Knuchel said the demolitions violated the 1949 Geneva Conventions, regarded as the cornerstone of international law on the obligations of warring and occupying powers. The Fourth Convention states that occupying powers must respect the property of civilian populations under their control.
Switzerland said it lodged a formal protest with the Israeli Foreign Ministry over recent demolitions, which now bring the tally to more than 600 destroyed homes in east Jerusalem and 1,600 altogether in the West Bank since 2000.
The Swiss statement, using unusually harsh language, said the neutral country "regards the recent incidents as violations of international humanitarian law" and notes "no military need to justify the destruction of these houses."
The Swiss statement called east Jerusalem an "integral part of the occupied Palestinian territory" - a phrase that could anger hardline Jewish groups that believe Israel should maintain control over the entire city. Israel captured east Jerusalem in the 1967 Mideast war, but Palestinians claim the territory as the capital of their hoped-for state.
Sufa said the Israeli government "regrets" that phrasing in the Swiss statement, noting the status of east Jerusalem and other territories is still subject to a final peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinian authorities.
The Jerusalem-based Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions said that so far this year dozens of Palestinian homes have been pulled down in east Jerusalem, and activists say the city has issued orders against 90 more homes."
Progress is not made by everyone joining some new fad,
and reveling in it's loyalty. It's made by forming coalitions
over specific principles, goals, and policies.
http://i36.tinypic.com/66j31x.jpg
(\__/)
( o.O)
(")_(")
and reveling in it's loyalty. It's made by forming coalitions
over specific principles, goals, and policies.
http://i36.tinypic.com/66j31x.jpg
(\__/)
( o.O)
(")_(")
Post edited by Unknown User on
0
Comments
No Prior Warning
Contrary to prior practice, since the policy was renewed in 2001, the IDF has generally not issued a demolition order, and has not given prior warning to the occupants before demolishing their home. The IDF gave prior warning in only seventeen cases, representing three percent of the total. Most of the demolitions take place at night, and the occupants are given only a few minutes to remove their possessions from the house...
War Crime
'The Fourth Geneva Convention prohibits the occupying state from destroying the property of civilians in occupied territory, "except where such destruction is rendered absolutely necessary by military operations." Israeli officials have argued that its policy falls within this exception. However, this contention is baseless. Israel's interpretation of "military operations" contradicts the official commentary of the International Committee of the Red Cross, which defines "military operation" as "the movement, maneuvers, and actions of any sort, carried out by the armed forces with a view to combat." Punitive demolitions are not conducted in the framework of "movements" or "maneuvers" of IDF forces, and are not carried out in the context of hostilities. The action cannot, therefore, be deemed a "military operation" within the meaning of the term in the Geneva Convention.
In some cases at least, Israel argues that the demolitions are lawful in that they are carried out pursuant to Section 119 of the Emergency Defense Regulations, which were enacted during the British Mandate. Section 119 is a draconian provision that allows a house to be demolished based on suspicion that certain offenses have been committed. The house does not have to belong to the suspects themselves, but can be the home of their family, neighbors, and other residents in the community. The applicability of Section 119 is questionable: it was revoked by the British before the Mandate ended. However, even if the British did not revoke it, Section 119 should be nullified because it violates international humanitarian law. Relying on Section 119, the High Court of Justice rejected these arguments and adopted, time after time, the state's contention that the punitive house demolitions are lawful.'
For more detail:
Amnesty International: 'Demolition and Dispossession: The Destruction of Palestinian Homes'
http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/MDE15/059/1999/en/dom-MDE150591999en.pdf
he had a voice that was strong and loud and
i swallowed his facade cos i'm so
eager to identify with
someone above the crowd
someone who seemed to feel the same
someone prepared to lead the way
I think the first question is, do they even think those are crimes to begin with? Probably not, I mean Obama has pretty much not said anything critical of Israel since he started his run to the white house.
All he has shown is blind support For them.
Then again, if this was happening to any other place that did not involve zionist Israel, Obama probably would be all over it talking about the injustice of it all.
intricacies of Israel, and how that connects and relates to everything.
My guess is low single digits.
and reveling in it's loyalty. It's made by forming coalitions
over specific principles, goals, and policies.
http://i36.tinypic.com/66j31x.jpg
(\__/)
( o.O)
(")_(")
Most of them voted for him because they actually believe they won't have to pay a mortgage ever again.
This is about a week old but what I found disturbing was this:
The president of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, Robert Goot, last night was concerned over the Government's switch. "We are concerned that the vote has changed, we do not understand the basis for the change," he said.
I mean how can someone be concerned about the Geneva Conventions being applied? Or that settlements stop (as stated under international law)? What the fuck is there to be concerned about? Justice?
We want peace we want it by kicking you out of your homes or killing you and stealing your land and wait.. we don't want to be prosecuted by international law!