I recognize that 2004 was a very long time ago, and no reasonable person ought to be expected to remember things that far back. Me too. Alas, upon reading this news item in the New York Times, about how the Americans are stepping up their drone attacks against nasties in Pakistan - an article in which the words "Illegal by international law" never appear, I had this strange urge to find out how far back was it since the general international consensus was united in its condemnation of Israel's illegal assassinations. 2000? 2001? Perhaps even as late as September 12th 2001?
2004. The Americans were already in Iraq, and had been engaging in targeted assassinations for at least two years, but Israel's assassinations of Ahmed Yassin and Abdel Aziz Rantisi were almost unanimously condemned as illegal, not to mention stupid, evil, cruel and so on. Don't take my word for it: do the Goggling yourself.
Drones pah Drones - this is from yesterday from behind the London Times firewall - it doesn't mention international law, also it implies that no civilians were present. One commenter claims that by international law one is allowed to pursue the enemy over borders - would he insist on that also, if Israel had done it.
ReplyDeleteSilke
Nato is forbidden from fighting inside Pakistan but officials claimed the helicopter gunners were acting in self-defence.
In a statement headed “Cross-border attack repelled by air weapons team” the Nato-led International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) said that its helicopters “crossed into the area of enemy fire”.
“The Isaf aircraft then engaged, killing more than 30 insurgents,” the statement said.
Two Isaf helicopters returned to the scene the following day, according to the statement, where they were again engaged by small-arms fire.
“The aircraft returned fire, resulting in several additional insurgents killed,” the statement said.
Officials told The Times that more than 40 people were killed.
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/world/asia/afghanistan/article2742393.ece
Naval warfare:
ReplyDeleteThe so-called "Jewish boat" -let's not look too close beneTH THEIR TZITZIT FOR JEWISH CREDENTIALS - is arriving at Ashdod port escorted by Israeli boats. Apparently, it has been taken over by the Israeli navy without encountering resistance whatsoever. There are about a dozen "peace junkies" - as the Arabs call them - demonstrating at the port, a good many of them belong to the Elhanan family.
This morning starting around 10 30 local time on Hakol Diburim, people from the boat as well as Mrs Peled Elhanan were given ample time and opportunity to air their grievances (Gaza children have no pencils) on Israeli public radio. Ms. Peled elhanan was asked if she had anything - anything at all - to say about Gilad Shalit being deprived of his rights such as visits by the Red Cross, or if she had anything negarive - anything at all - to say about the Hamas government years upon years of daily rocket pounding of innocent civilians.
sorry for the typos : too many to list
ReplyDeleteNaval warfare update: the "Jewish boat's" passengers were carried to shore on the Port's pilot boat. The foreign passengers will be in the care of the Foreign Ministry, while the Israeli passengers will be investigated by the police.
a refreshingly sane comment from the IDF-page - please take note how courageously the nutters behaved.
ReplyDeleteSilke
Prior to boarding the yacht, the Israel naval ships transmitted two warnings to its captain, making him aware that they were in danger of breaking both Israeli and international law. These warnings were ignored by the captain and the boat’s passengers; they continued to sail further into the area under naval blockade. Consequently, Israel navy forces intercepted and boarded the ship.
The IDF regrets that it must divert the Israel Navy’s attention from its regular operational activity defending Israel and its citizens because of acts of provocation such as this.
http://idfspokesperson.com/2010/09/28/provocation-yacht-on-its-way-to-ashdod-port-boarded-by-israel-navy-without-incident-28-sept-2010/
concerning real life Haaretz told me this delicacy today
ReplyDeletenow if I were one of these few entrepreneurs having survived the crisis wouldn't I fight against the outbreak of peace tooth and nail
Silke
But a few entrepreneurs have adapted and reversed the flow, exporting through the remaining tunnels from an enclave once starved of basic goods to Egypt, Gaza's only market.
"This business is very profitable, since there's no exporting at all through Israeli crossings," said Abu Khail, a Gaza Strip tunneller. He reckons 15 to 20 tunnels are now shipping to Egypt, each employing at least 12 workers.
http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/gaza-s-troubled-tunnel-trade-swings-into-reverse-1.316168
here's the explanation, why international law can't apply - the excuse has probably been applicable, while in Israel's case - well you can't call an area where all kinds of understandable and explainable things are happening "lawless" - that would be unfair, insensitive and unkind, wouldn't it?
ReplyDeleteSilke
The CIA has launched at least 20 drone strikes so far this month in Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas, a LAWLESS REGION neighboring Afghanistan.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703694204575518553113206756.html?mod=WSJEUROPE_hpp_MIDDLETopStories
Video -
ReplyDeleteIDF intercepts Pro-Hamas "Jewish" Boat Irene.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TptRV-wStx4&feature=player_embedded
Avi Dichter, in one of his appearances at JCPA related how one of his American friends described the double standard. Israelis should use target assasinations because they can't get away with it, the U.S. however is powerful, with a seat on the security council so it can do what it wants.
ReplyDeleteWe'll see how long such a blatant double standard can endure the lawfare attacks. A SC veto is a strong defense, but allowing the lawfare attacks on Israel to set a precedent was a mistake.
T34zakat
This still doesn't explain the double standard in most of the press.
Haaretz and Jpost have duelling headlines over what Lieberman said to the UN
ReplyDeleteLieberman presents plans for population exchange at UN
vs
Lieberman: Peace must be based on exchange of territory
T34zakat
Sylvia
ReplyDeleteas to trustworthiness of the recent flotillaners
one of them is said to be Reuven Moskowitz
who peddled himself or let himself be peddled as Prof. Dr. mouth organ playing Israeli desert guide and got a widely reported peace price from what I consider at best people of rather shaky sanity.
Anyway the last I read the Professor has proved as being non-existent, the Doctor-thesis is unlocatable and believe me people, friend and foe alike, have been looking for it. But never mind he is still popular on the lecture circus and after his adventure on a Katamaran, which is a boat with very cramped living quarters he will no doubt find new listeners and fees. I only wish he'd employ all that ingenuity to the benefit of Israel
here are links to his German shenanigans:
http://lizaswelt.net/2007/12/10/aachener-fehlprinten/
Silke
"National gerrymandering" is really more accurate than "population transfer." "Population transfer" means transferring the population physically from one territory to another (as the ethnic Germans were kicked out of Poland and Czechoslovakia, or as Greeks and Turks or Indian Muslims and Hindus switched sides). What Lieberman is proposing is changing the lines to reflect the ethnic reality. Whether you think it's a good idea or not, calling it "population transfer" is basically agitprop.
ReplyDeleteSilke
ReplyDeleteRight now "Israel" is taking a break from plotting and conspiring from killing babies and harvesting organs from infecting far away computers with viruses, etc. etc. "Israel" is dancing in town squares throughout the country since this is the end of sukkot here.
Let the defamers eat their heart out.
If that Moskovitz hasn't been denied entry, then he might take something back with him in his cultural luggagge.