Egypt، South Africa strengthen ties, discuss regional challenges at BRICS Meeting    Egypt's CBE offers EGP 4b zero coupon t-bonds    BRICS proceeds with national currency payment system    Real estate developers suggest strategies to enhance profitability, ROI in Egypt's burgeoning second homes market    European stocks slide as French politics spark uncertainty    Rising food costs to push up India's inflation    Turkey fines Google $14.85m over hotel searches    Egypt's FM lauds co-operation with Russia    Sudan: El Fasher's South Hospital out of service after RSF attack    Yemen's Houthi claims strikes on British warship, commercial vessels in Red Sea, Arabian Sea    Egypt supports development of continental dialogue platform for innovative health sector financing in Africa: Finance Minister    Al-Mashat, NEAR Directorate-General discuss private sector guarantees ahead of Egypt-EU investment conference    TMG Holding shatters records with EGP 122bn in sales, strategic acquisitions in 5M 2024    Egypt's Labour Minister concludes ILO Conference with meeting with Director-General    Egypt's largest puzzle assembled by 80 children at Al-Nas Hospital    BRICS Skate Cup: Skateboarders from Egypt, 22 nations gather in Russia    Pharaohs Edge Out Burkina Faso in World Cup qualifiers Thriller    Egypt's EDA, Zambia sign collaboration pact    Madinaty Sports Club hosts successful 4th Qadya MMA Championship    Amwal Al Ghad Awards 2024 announces Entrepreneurs of the Year    Egyptian President asks Madbouly to form new government, outlines priorities    Egypt's President assigns Madbouly to form new government    Egypt and Tanzania discuss water cooperation    Grand Egyptian Museum opening: Madbouly reviews final preparations    Madinaty's inaugural Skydiving event boosts sports tourism appeal    Tunisia's President Saied reshuffles cabinet amidst political tension    Instagram Celebrates African Women in 'Made by Africa, Loved by the World' 2024 Campaign    Egypt to build 58 hospitals by '25    Swiss freeze on Russian assets dwindles to $6.36b in '23    Egyptian public, private sectors off on Apr 25 marking Sinai Liberation    Debt swaps could unlock $100b for climate action    Financial literacy becomes extremely important – EGX official    Euro area annual inflation up to 2.9% – Eurostat    BYD، Brazil's Sigma Lithium JV likely    UNESCO celebrates World Arabic Language Day    Motaz Azaiza mural in Manchester tribute to Palestinian journalists    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Above all others
Published in Al-Ahram Weekly on 24 - 06 - 2004

Israel firmly believes it can get away with anything. Emad Gad examines the consequences
There is a strong belief in the Arab world that one of the biggest obstacles to reaching a political settlement to the Arab- Israeli conflict that would give the Palestinian people their legitimate rights and allow them to establish an independent state is the United States' absolute bias towards Israel. There are those who believe that the absence of a political settlement, and thus the absence of stability in the Middle East, is attributable to America's persistence in providing international legal and political protection to Israel.
The US has always used its right of veto in the Security Council to block any resolution condemning Israel or demanding that it end violations or calling on it to desist from changing facts on the ground. And Arabs know very well that even if any compromise resolutions are issued by the Security Council, they will remain mere ink on paper and will not be implemented.
Often, such resolutions are accompanied by a call to examine practical solutions through negotiations, to take "facts" into consideration, as is the case when US President George Bush made certain guarantees to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. That affirmed a very dangerous principle: the possibility of acquiring territory by force, which stands in complete contravention to UN principles and international law.
This situation has made the Israeli government believe that Israel is above international law, immune to any accountability to the international community. In turn, this conviction has produced Israeli policies that often contravene international law. It has gotten to the point that Israel can threaten neighbouring countries with military invasions, freely pursue policies based on unrestrained force, and fully believe it is an exception to international law.
The problem is exacerbated when the country exempted from international law is also a traditional occupying power. This means that occupation forces can commit violations that may even reach the level of war crimes without fearing international accountability. Thus, the obligation to observe treaties and charters regulating the behaviour of soldiers in wartime, whether towards civilians or other soldiers, become meaningless. It is clear that the actions of Israeli occupation forces against Palestinians constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity, but Israel has not been held responsible or brought to account.
This situation is cause for chagrin among international human rights and humanitarian aid organisations which have been involved in several confrontations with Israeli officials. Similarly, the European and American media have observed and recorded violations of Palestinian rights by Israeli occupation soldiers.
One of the more recent manifestations of this observation appeared in the Austrian Kleine Zeitung which published a cartoon on 20 May comparing the behaviour of Israeli soldiers to Nazi soldiers. The Israeli website (www.nfc.co.il) published a story about the cartoon, which was soon followed by readers who wrote in, cursing Austria and in fact all of Europe. One reader wrote that Austria was the birthplace of Nazism, followed by Germany. "I remind you that Hitler is one of your compatriots," wrote another. A third respondent wrote, "We just shouldn't go there as tourists. We shouldn't pass through that damn country." "What has Austria contributed to the world? A wretched nation of no importance," another reader chimed in. Another wrote, "How ironic that the Nazi Austrians would write such things about us. This is like Hitler asking Sharon if he has any morals! How great is Europe's stupidity."
In fact, the sense of immunity from international accountability seems to account for the behaviour of Israeli occupation forces who continue to commit cold-blooded murder and crimes against humanity which, were they perpetrated by any other nation or in any other place, would immediately engender the formation of an international war crimes tribunal and the arrest of civilian and military leaders.
The contempt Israeli occupation forces have for human life does not stop at the Palestinians but extends to those who are sympathetic to their plight or work to provide purely humanitarian assistance, including American and European citizens, as is the case with the murder of activists with the International Solidarity Movement such as Rachel Corrie and Tom Hurndall.
This contempt has reached such proportions that Israeli occupation soldiers have threatened the lives of official figures on official missions. On 18 June Israeli soldiers opened direct fire on British parliamentarians. The MPs reported that soldiers opened fire on them in a military location in Rafah while they were conducting a visit to the site with a UN team. No-one was injured in the incident but some of the MPs reported hearing bullets zip over their heads.
According to the parliamentarians, they quickly returned to their vehicle after they were shot at. Although the car was clearly marked as a United Nations vehicle, the shooting continued near a building close to the car.
Commenting on the incident, the Israeli army said it had not received a formal complaint. It added that the circumstances surrounding the event, if it actually happened, are not clear.
A spokesman for the Israeli army later stated that the matter was under review and that the army was aware of the claims. Israeli army sources said the trip to Rafah was not first cleared with the army.
"It is regrettable that the visit was not coordinated in advance with us," said sources in the Israeli Foreign Ministry. "The matter is being examined."
Baroness Lindsey Northover, an MP with the Liberal Democratic Party, said the shooting came from the direction where Israeli soldiers were. The group also included Huw Irranca- Davies (Labour) and Crispin Blunt (Conservatives). The three MPs, who were conducting a visit to the site where Briton Hurndall was shot over a year ago, asked the Israeli ambassador to Britain to clarify the incident.
To follow the details of the case, visit Arabs Against Discrimination (www.aad-online.org).


Clic here to read the story from its source.