Comments on: Is Israel committing war crimes?

By: mike smith

mike smith — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

It’s getting a little late, but perhaps the world shouldn’t have allowed charges against Nazis to proceed unless Israel became a full signatory to the ICC. And perhaps the US shouldn’t be allowed to veto because it is not a full signatory.

By: James O'Neill

James O'Neill — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

Israel cannot escape culpability by not being a signatory to the Rome Statute. Its actions are in breach of the Fourth Geneva Convention in at least four ways:
First, its actions constiute collective punishment of the entire Gaza population.
Second, it targets civilians.
Third, its response to the rockets fired into Israel (17 deaths over 10 years) is disproportionate.
Fourth, as an occupying power it has an obligation to ensure food and medical supplies to the occupied population.
That list relates only to Israel's latest war on Gaza. There is a long history (since 1948) of the State of Israel being in violation of international law. Australia should make it clear that any Israeli politician known to be a party to this criminality will be held accountable should they venture into Australian territory.
Australia might also consider imposing its own sanctions on this rogue regime which demonstrates on a daily basis its unfitness to be regarded as a member of the community of nations.

By: Tony Taylor

Tony Taylor — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

Extensive destruction and appropriation of property, not justified by military necessity and carried out unlawfully and wantonly etc etc etc….

Are we talking about IDF or Hamas?

By: Tom McLoughlin

Tom McLoughlin — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

Regretably the law has not much to offer here, except possibly a benchmark. It was the academic in both Herald and The Oz same day recently, which is unusual (you see letters in both same day sometimes but not opinion pieces).

Along the lines that power trumps law in international relations. Which brings us back to the cruel arrogant (illegal) blockade of food and medicals by Israel and the weapons and cash smuggling via tunnels together with rocket fire (illegal) by Hamas.

As Tony Blair as agent for big UN members and no doubt Nicholas Sarkozy as infuential French President are pointing out.: There is the basis of a tradeoff deal here. No tunnels and rockets, and no blockade. Will some one hurry up and make it before how many more children die already??????????????????????

By: Kevin Charles Herbert

Kevin Charles Herbert — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

The US’s bum boy……Israel…….taking it for the good ol’ US of A……vwat a deal …….. vwat can ey till u ??????

By: John James

John James — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

Only the Left and its surrogates, like Crikey, would accuse the only real democracy in this conflict, defending itself against repeated attacks on its civilain popualtion by an organisation, using as its base an area of territory unilaterally vacated by the democracy some time before, and then accuse the democracy of a war crime. Where have we seen that before? Maybe it was the denunciation of the Allied war effort by the Left when Stalin and Hitler had signed their friendship pact, or maybe the Left’s apologies for communist insertions in South east Asia, or perhaps the Left championing of Zanu-PF or Fidel?
Or maybe the denunciations of American efforts to defeat tyrants in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Left just cannot help themselves. Whatever thugs, spivs and tyrants confront the West, the Left will be in their corner

By: JamesK

JamesK — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

Yet again Daniel up to his usual standard I see.

Yet another single 8 word sentence all his own in his 'comment'.

Yet again not a single original thought expressed.

Why do you even bother to 'copy & paste' Daniel?

By: Daniel

Daniel — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

Only the Left and its surrogates, like Crikey, would accuse the only real democracy in this conflict, defending itself against repeated attacks on its civilain popualtion by an organisation, using as its base an area of territory unilaterally vacated by the democracy some time before, and then accuse the democracy of a war crime. Where have we seen that before? Maybe it was the denunciation of the Allied war effort by the Left when Stalin and Hitler had signed their friendship pact, or maybe the Left's apologies for communist insertions in South east Asia, or perhaps the Left championing of Zanu-PF or Fidel?
Or maybe the denunciations of American efforts to defeat tyrants in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Left just cannot help themselves. Whatever thugs, spivs and tyrants confront the West, the Left will be in their corner

So many IDF talking points, so little interest.

By: Peter Feeney

Peter Feeney — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

I agree with what you have said but I don’t think you should have repeated the mantra “Israel has every right to defend itself” surely no-one really believes that this is a defensive action. They are using the full might of the second most powerful military in the world to crush resistance from refugees objecting to their land being occupied. If the aggressor was anyone but Israel and the victims were not Arabs there would be International outrage.