21 September 2007

Don't look away

The state of Israel is often charged with violations of international law; sometimes with good cause and sometimes not. We cannot allow ourselves to look away as Israel embarks on collective punishment of the Gaza Strip, a practice that is clearly forbidden by the Geneva Conventions. Before anyone suggests that these do not apply in this case Convention IV clearly addresses the responsibilities of an "occupying power" and it cannot be argued that Israel is clearly such an entity in the Gaza, the West Bank and Jerusalem. The only question can be if whether such occupation is legal or illegal and I believe that the United Nations Security Council along with other international organisations has already resolved that.

Before anyone starts I will not accept any accusations of anti-Semitism or anti-Judaism over my position on this issue. Got it? (Anti-Zionism is acceptable and, in fact, I agree that I am anti-Zionist.

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