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BADIL Resource Center for<br>
Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights<br><br>
Press Release, 15 September 2004 (E/31/04)<br><br>
<br>
They say 9/11 changed the world. What about<br>
September 16?<br><br>
September 16 commemorates the 1982 Sabra and<br>
Shatila massacre, the day almost a quarter of a<br>
century ago, when up to 3,500 civilians, mainly<br>
Palestinian refugees, died in Beirut, Lebanon<br>
refugee camps.<br><br>
In 1982, Ariel Sharon was Defense Minister of<br>
Israel. An Israeli commission of inquiry found<br>
that he and other Israelis were responsible for<br>
the massacre. Now Ariel Sharon is Prime<br>
Minister of Israel.<br><br>
Under the Universal Jurisdiction Law of Belgium,<br>
Ariel Sharon was charged in relation to the<br>
Sabra and Shatila massacre. The case failed<br>
when Belgium was forced to abandon its law<br>
through U.S. and other pressure. The law simply<br>
put Belgian law into agreement with the Geneva<br>
Conventions something expected from every state<br>
that is a signatory to the Conventions. The<br>
Geneva Conventions call for prosecution or<br>
extradition of anyone guilty of crimes against<br>
humanity. Among others, Amnesty International<br>
and Human Rights Watch have supported the<br>
concept of universal jurisdiction.<br><br>
Others who had a role in the massacre remain in<br>
positions of power both in Israel and Lebanon.<br><br>
Things haven't changed much for the<br>
Palestinians. Inquiries into the massacre were<br>
not released. Most massacre perpetrators remain<br>
at large. Nothing has been done to compensate<br>
the victims.<br><br>
The killing with impunity continues, especially<br>
for Palestinians. In the occupied West Bank and<br>
Gaza Strip more than 3,100 Palestinians have<br>
been killed by the Israeli military and Israel<br>
settlers in the past four years. In the same<br>
period almost 1,000 Israeli civilians and<br>
members of the Israeli security forces have been<br>
killed by Palestinians.<br><br>
Palestinian refugees in Lebanon remain unable to<br>
own land and are barred from more than 70 types<br>
of work. The Palestinians of West Bank and Gaza<br>
remain locked in a land which is growing smaller<br>
by the day with illegal takeovers of land and<br>
the building of the wall by Israel.<br><br>
All Palestinians who lost their homes in 1948<br>
and through the years because of Israeli actions<br>
have been denied the right of return.<br><br>
Some say the world changed on September 11, 2001<br>
but on 16 September, 22 years after the Sabra<br>
and Shatila massacre, not much has changed for<br>
the Palestinians.<br>
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