Tables turning? Israel preparing to take Abu Mazen to International Criminal Court
“We are currently preparing an indictment for war crimes against [Abbas] based on two rationales,” Bennett said. “The first is the daily cash transfers to Hamas, which is firing missiles on Israeli citizens, and the second is the direct financing of murderous terrorists themselves.”
In order for the ICC to try the Palestinian leader, Israel would first need to formally join. Only then would it be able to lodge a complaint with the ICC prosecutor, who would need to decide whether to launch an investigation.
Responding to recent developments, Shurat Hadin – Israel Law Center said that although it has been doing serious case-intensive work on potential International Criminal Court (ICC) complaints against the Palestinians for a long time, the issue was now "becoming a game for politicians, with less background on the issue, yelling slogans."
The NGO added that some politicians have been raising allegations against the Palestinians for crimes which the ICC does not even handle or which would not be taken seriously by the ICC.
In contrast, Shurat Hadin said it used a Facebook campaign since April 2013 to gather serious allegations for potential concrete complaints against Palestinian leaders to the ICC.Arutz Sheva adds some quotes from Bennett's Facebook page.
"Every year we renew a 'festival of threats': if we don't do what the PA wants, they will go to the UN, they will turn into a country and slam us at the Hague," Bennett wrote. "This is their 'judgement day' weapon. A Defense Minister once gave it this name: the 'political tsunami."
"But it's time to change this concept," he declared. "This is not the PA's 'judgement day' weapon. The rifle is empty."
"There is good reason why the Palestinians are not members of the Hague, and not members of the UN," he continued. "There is a reason why the gun is almost empty. What should be done about this threat? Understand what it is, stop being afraid - and, of course, act on it."
Bennett noted that threats against Israel at the Hague may look menacing on paper, but will probably not change much in reality.
"A lawsuit against us in the Hague will have Israel join the ranks of other distinguished countries brought to court there, such as the US and UK, and no one is telling London to withdraw from their land over it," he stated.
If anything, according to Bennett, "Israel and other countries should bring the PA to the Hague over war crimes."
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"There are two reasons for this: first - the PA's killing and terror against innocent people," he continued. "The Palestinians deliberately fired thousands of rockets at schools, hospitals and kindergartens. Shooting to harm civilians is clearly a war crime."
Bennett also shot down possible counter-arguments to this, including the claim that the PA and Hamas are utterly unconnected.
"The PA leadership in Ramallah will tell them that it is Hamas who shoots at civilians, not them," he said. "But this is like saying that it is [Justice Minister Tzipi Livni's party - ed.] HaTnua that is conducting negotiations with the PA, not the State of Israel. "
"Hamas is a political movement operating under the PA umbrella in Gaza," he fired. "[PA Chairman Mahmoud] Abbas transfers funds every month from the PA to Gaza for 'public servants' there."
"He believes that Gaza is part of the same 'Palestine' that he asks the UN to unilaterally establish. Therefore, he is responsible for Hamas's war crimes."
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The second accusation Israel should launch against the PA, according to Bennett, is over its ongoing incitement against Israel.
"Every month the PA issues stipends to murders of women and children that Israel released [as part of preconditions to negotiations - ed.], as well as to those who are still in prison" Bennett noted. "They tell murderers: go kill a Jew and instead of receiving compensation now, you'll receive compensation later."
"This is encouraging terror. This is incitement."Sorry, but I'm opposed to joining the ICC. I don't believe they'll judge our claims fairly, I don't believe they'll convict Abu Mazen or the 'Palestinians,' and even if by some miracle they do convict them, I don't believe that anything will come from a conviction (look at Sudan's Omar al-Bashir - he hasn't suffered much by being convicted, has he?).
On the other hand, we will expose ourselves to suits in the ICC. We have had very bad experiences with international tribunals and with anything connected to the UN. Why would we join and expose ourselves like that?
As to the picture at the top, guess who financed the Munich Olympics massacre?
Labels: Abu Mazen, International Criminal Court, Naftali Bennett, Palestinian Authority, terror funding
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 12:19 PM
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