[News] ICC warns Israeli leaders over Gaza killings
Anti-Imperialist News
news at freedomarchives.org
Mon Apr 9 11:57:17 EDT 2018
https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/ali-abunimah/icc-warns-israeli-leaders-over-gaza-killings
ICC warns Israeli leaders over Gaza killings
Ali Abunimah <https://electronicintifada.net/people/ali-abunimah> - 8
April 2018
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The International Criminal Court
<https://electronicintifada.net/tags/international-criminal-court> has
issued an unprecedented warning that Israeli leaders may face trial for
the killings of unarmed Palestinian protesters in the Gaza Strip.
“Since 30 March 2018, at least 27 Palestinians have been reportedly
killed by the Israeli Defence Forces, with over a thousand more injured,
many, as a result of shootings using live ammunition and rubber
bullets,” Fatou Bensouda
<https://electronicintifada.net/tags/fatou-bensouda>, the ICC’s chief
prosecutor, stated on
<https://www.icc-cpi.int/Pages/item.aspx?name=180408-otp-stat> Sunday.
“Violence against civilians – in a situation such as the one prevailing
in Gaza – could constitute crimes under the Rome Statute of the
International Criminal Court, as could the use of civilian presence for
the purpose of shielding military activities,” Bensouda said.
Statement of #ICC
<https://twitter.com/hashtag/ICC?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>
Prosecutor #FatouBensouda
<https://twitter.com/hashtag/FatouBensouda?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>
regarding the worsening situation in Gaza: " The resort to violence
must stop" https://t.co/npthwrsQrf
— Int'l Criminal Court (@IntlCrimCourt) April 8, 2018
<https://twitter.com/IntlCrimCourt/status/983001500954890241?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>
“Any person who incites or engages in acts of violence including by
ordering, requesting, encouraging or contributing in any other manner to
the commission of crimes within ICC’s jurisdiction is liable to
prosecution before the court,” Bensouda added.
Bensouda’s reference to using civilians for “shielding military
activities” appears to be a nod to Israel’s claims that the Great March
of Return <https://electronicintifada.net/tags/great-march-return> mass
rallies organized by Palestinians over the last two Fridays along Gaza’s
boundary with Israel are a Hamas
<https://electronicintifada.net/tags/hamas> ploy to shield “terrorist”
activities.
However, as an investigation by Human Rights Watch
<https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/ali-abunimah/israeli-leaders-ordered-calculated-killings-gaza-protesters>
determined, and observations
<https://twitter.com/rafsanchez/status/982252986553450498> by
journalists have confirmed, there have been no such “military
activities” by Palestinians taking part in the demonstrations.
The festival-like
<https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/nora-barrows-friedman/listen-every-palestinian-was-target-gaza-march>
rallies have brought out tens of thousands demanding an end to Israel’s
blockade <https://electronicintifada.net/tags/gaza-siege> of Gaza and
the right of return for refugees
<https://electronicintifada.net/content/calling-world-conscience/23846>.
Over the course of several hours at the #Gaza
<https://twitter.com/hashtag/Gaza?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>
border today and Thurs, I haven't seen any protesters with guns or
Molotov cocktails.
I've seen a tiny handful - single digits among thousands of young
men - with axes, knives or heavy shears for cutting the fence.
— Raf Sanchez (@rafsanchez) April 6, 2018
<https://twitter.com/rafsanchez/status/982252986553450498?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>
No Israelis have been reported injured as a result of the Palestinian
protests in Gaza.
But what is not in doubt is that Israeli leaders have ordered the
targeting of unarmed civilian protesters in what Human Rights Watch
termed
<https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/ali-abunimah/israeli-leaders-ordered-calculated-killings-gaza-protesters>
“calculated” killings of people who posed no threat whatsoever.
HRW’s @OmarSShakir
<https://twitter.com/OmarSShakir?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>: “The Israeli
forces treated the buffer zone as the “free-fire zone”
#GazaReturnMarch
<https://twitter.com/hashtag/GazaReturnMarch?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>
https://t.co/FSkMibDsEp pic.twitter.com/rsLGSGvEp5
<https://t.co/rsLGSGvEp5>
— Carbonated.TV (@CarbonatedTV) April 7, 2018
<https://twitter.com/CarbonatedTV/status/982586812651720704?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>
Three of those slain have been children.
Our investigation confirms Israeli forces killed 13-year-old Hussein
Mohammad Adnan Madi in Gaza yesterday around 4 pm local time. He
sustained a gunshot wound to the abdomen & was later pronounced dead
at Shifa hospital. #GazaReturnMarch
<https://twitter.com/hashtag/GazaReturnMarch?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>
pic.twitter.com/TJfsnVqvU3 <https://t.co/TJfsnVqvU3>
— Defense for Children (@DCIPalestine) April 7, 2018
<https://twitter.com/DCIPalestine/status/982597954635788289?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>
Yesterday, Israeli forces shot & killed 15-year-old Aladdin Yahia
Ismail Zamili in Gaza around 6 pm local time. He sustained a gunshot
wound to the neck and was later pronounced dead at Youssef Al-Najjar
hospital in Rafah. #GazaReturnMarch
<https://twitter.com/hashtag/GazaReturnMarch?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>
pic.twitter.com/xJb918JeMa <https://t.co/xJb918JeMa>
— Defense for Children (@DCIPalestine) April 7, 2018
<https://twitter.com/DCIPalestine/status/982687772451442688?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>
Israeli forces shot dead Ibrahim Abu Sha'er on March 30.
@DCIPalestine <https://twitter.com/DCIPalestine?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>
investigations confirmed he was 17 years old when he was killed, not
22 years as reported by news media. Under international law, any
person below 18 years is considered a child. #GazaReturnMarch
<https://twitter.com/hashtag/GazaReturnMarch?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>
pic.twitter.com/G9j6kILNQk <https://t.co/G9j6kILNQk>
— Defense for Children (@DCIPalestine) April 6, 2018
<https://twitter.com/DCIPalestine/status/982334469070827521?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>
In advance of this Friday’s demonstrations, the Israeli human rights
group B’Tselem had warned soldiers
<https://www.btselem.org/firearms/20180404_why_soldiers_must_refuse_to_fire_at_unarmed_protesters>
that they would be committing crimes if they obeyed “patently illegal”
orders to shoot unarmed civilians.
Yesterday, yet again, the Israeli military used lethal force with no
justification in Gaza. Shooting live ammunition at unarmed
protesters who pose no threat is immoral, and a command ordering it
is manifestly illegal. Israeli policy makers must change these
orders immediately.
— B'Tselem בצלם بتسيلم (@btselem) April 7, 2018
<https://twitter.com/btselem/status/982607106565201921?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>
We reiterate our appeal to Israeli soldiers to refuse to abide by
patently unlawful orders to use lethal force against unarmed
protesters in Gaza. The dangerous assertions made by Minister
Lieberman, implying Gazan protestors are legitimate target, evince
disdain for basic morals https://t.co/F9ZlxcdP6S
— B'Tselem בצלם بتسيلم (@btselem) April 8, 2018
<https://twitter.com/btselem/status/983028461202739201?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>
Israeli snipers stationed along the boundary with Gaza killed nine
Palestinians
<https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/maureen-clare-murphy/two-children-journalist-among-israels-latest-gaza-victims>
on Friday.
Breaking ranks with the European Union, which is still
<https://eeas.europa.eu/headquarters/headquarters-homepage/42637/statement-most-recent-developments-gaza_en>
refusing
<https://eeas.europa.eu/headquarters/headquarters-homepage/42558/statement-spokesperson-planned-new-demonstrations-gaza-friday-6-april_en>
to condemn Israel’s actions, France on Saturday condemned
<http://en.rfi.fr/20180408-france-condemns-israels-indiscriminate-fire-gaza>
Israel’s “indiscriminate fire” against Palestinian civilians in Gaza.
Territoires palestiniens - bande de Gaza
9 morts et plusieurs centaines de blessés causés par la répression
des manifestations. La France réprouve à nouveau les tirs
indiscriminés de l’armée israélienne. La lumière doit être faite sur
ces graves événements.https://t.co/xaax1Y9N5o
— France Diplomatie🇫🇷 (@francediplo) April 7, 2018
<https://twitter.com/francediplo/status/982677637058514944?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>
But despite such warnings, Israeli leaders have refused to change their
live-fire orders, and have repeatedly commended their soldiers for the
bloodshed.
"I think the division and the forces of the Southern Command
fulfilled their mission in an impressive way." - Maj. Gen. Eyal
Zamir, Commanding Officer of the Southern Command
pic.twitter.com/vIZMffPybY <https://t.co/vIZMffPybY>
— IDF (@IDFSpokesperson) April 6, 2018
<https://twitter.com/IDFSpokesperson/status/982326854538465280?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>
Re: killing of 31 Palestinians & wounding of more than 1,000 from
live fire in Gaza #GreatReturnMarch
<https://twitter.com/hashtag/GreatReturnMarch?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>:
Israeli army (women) scouts say they have "followed every
'terrorist' for 5 hours before deciding to shoot
him"https://t.co/8BHAYUZf8q
— Asaf Ronel (@AsafRonel) April 7, 2018
<https://twitter.com/AsafRonel/status/982643818104270849?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>
On Sunday, defense minister Avigdor Lieberman declared in effect that
all two million of Gaza’s residents are legitimate targets, telling
Israeli media
<http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Liberman-slams-request-to-investigate-death-of-Gaza-journalist-covering-protests-549135>
that “in the march of terror there were no innocent civilians, they were
all Hamas members.”
According to /The Times of Israel/
<https://www.timesofisrael.com/liberman-trump-didnt-consult-with-israel-on-syria-withdrawal/>,
Lieberman “later clarified that his use of the Hebrew word /tamim/ was
intended to mean not ‘innocent,’ but ‘naive.’”
His walking back the comment is not surprising since such statements can
be used as evidence of intent in any international criminal trial.
Lieberman had been slamming calls to investigate the killing of
journalist Yaser Murtaja
<https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/maureen-clare-murphy/two-children-journalist-among-israels-latest-gaza-victims>
who was fatally shot while wearning a vest clearly marked with the word
“Press” on Friday.
“We have seen dozens of cases of Hamas activists [who] were disguised as
medics and journalists,” Lieberman claimed
<http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Liberman-slams-request-to-investigate-death-of-Gaza-journalist-covering-protests-549135>.
“We also saw a journalist approach the border and operate a drone, we do
not take chances in those cases,” he added, an assertion which the
Israel military has found no evidence
<https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-no-evidence-to-lieberman-s-claim-that-slain-gaza-journalist-had-drone-1.5979315>
to support.
Oh & @IDFSpokesperson
<https://twitter.com/IDFSpokesperson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw> has a new
reason why a sniper killed journalist Yaser Murtaja: he was
activating a drone.
BTW, not that it should be a capital offence, but all eye witnesses
of the moment he was shot say he wasn't activating any
dronehttps://t.co/ekVFnS7NtI
— Asaf Ronel (@AsafRonel) April 8, 2018
<https://twitter.com/AsafRonel/status/982870363297206272?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>
Israeli Forces Continue to Target Journalists Despite “PRESS”-Marked
Vests#Gaza
<https://twitter.com/hashtag/Gaza?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>
#GreatMarchOfReturn
<https://twitter.com/hashtag/GreatMarchOfReturn?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>
https://t.co/HEK9fgzmdJ pic.twitter.com/WIJIw4fsNM
<https://t.co/WIJIw4fsNM>
— Al Mezan Center (@AlMezanCenter) April 9, 2018
<https://twitter.com/AlMezanCenter/status/983224560941182977?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>
Head of Reporters Without Borders says death of Gaza journalist shot
by Israel was “deliberate” https://t.co/meyatCovXw
— Joe (@joedyke) April 7, 2018
<https://twitter.com/joedyke/status/982608949122945025?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw>
At the rallies the week before Murtaja’s slaying, Israeli forces injured
10 journalists
<https://cpj.org/2018/04/cpj-safety-advisory-covering-gaza-protests.php>,
including several with live ammunition, according to the Committee to
Protect Journalists.
Despite Lieberman’s objections, the Israeli army on Sunday named one of
its own generals
<https://www.timesofisrael.com/brigadier-general-tapped-to-probe-armys-response-to-gaza-protests/>
to investigate its actions that have led to the killings of Palestinians
in Gaza, including of Murtaja.
But such military self-investigations have historically been
<https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/charlotte-silver/we-will-no-longer-be-fig-leaf-occupation-says-btselem>
nothing more than whitewashes
<https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/adri-nieuwhof/israeli-generals-sued-dutch-court-killing-gaza-family>
that have served to bolster Israeli impunity and deter investigation by
the ICC
<https://electronicintifada.net/content/will-icc-see-through-israels-sham-justice/18321>.
This is why the ICC prosecutor’s statement carries particular
significance, since the international court is only mandated to step in
when national judicial authorities are unwilling or unable to carry out
genuine proceedings
<https://www.icc-cpi.int/NR/rdonlyres/20BB4494-70F9-4698-8E30-907F631453ED/281984/complementarity.pdf>.
In her statement Sunday, Bensouda noted “the situation in Palestine is
under preliminary examination by my office.” That is the procedure by
which the prosecutor decides whether to open a formal investigation that
could lead to indictments.
But the open-ended preliminary examination has been going on for years
<https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/ali-abunimah/icc-preliminary-probe-palestine-still-long-way-war-crimes-trials>
with Bensouda appearing to drag her feet.
In a case related to Israel’s 2010 attack on a flotilla to Gaza,
Bensouda has acknowledged
<https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/ali-abunimah/icc-says-israel-committed-flotilla-war-crimes-refuses-investigate>
that Israeli forces likely committed war crimes in international waters,
but she has nonetheless declined to open a formal investigation.
The lawyers for the families of those killed when Israeli commandos
stormed the /Mavi Marmara/ have accused Bensouda’s office of going “out
of its way to sidestep having to launch any real investigation at the
international level, knowing full well that the national [Israeli]
authorities are not investigating these crimes.”
Since its founding, the ICC has lost much credibility because of its
exclusive focus
<http://www.latimes.com/world/africa/la-fg-icc-africa-snap-story.html>
on prosecuting Africans, despite the fact that the 1998 Rome Statute
<http://legal.un.org/icc/statute/99_corr/cstatute.htm> mandates the
court to “put an end to impunity” for the gravest crimes no matter where
they are committed.
Palestinians are planning more mass rallies in Gaza in the weeks leading
up to Nakba Day <https://electronicintifada.net/tags/nakba-day> – the 15
May annual commemoration of the 1948 ethnic cleansing of Palestine.
It remains to be seen if Bensouda’s warning will deter Israeli leaders
from further slaughter and if the court will finally move to end the
impunity Israel has enjoyed for decades.
--
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