Israeli PM demands changes to rules of war (1 Viewer)

[Nebuchanezzar]

JERUSALEM: Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, will attempt to change the international laws of war in the wake of accusations that Israel committed war crimes during the January conflict in Gaza.

Mr Netanyahu authorised a special committee to deal with the legal consequences of the findings of a United Nations fact-finding mission on the war in Gaza led by the South African judge Richard Goldstone.

Mr Netanyahu said he had instructed his Justice Ministry to form a committee to deal with the prospect of ''legal proceedings abroad against the state of Israel or its citizens''.

''We need to keep punching a hole in this lie that is spreading with the help of the Goldstone report,'' Mr Netanyahu said.

He said draft proposals to change the laws of war would take into account the need to contend with ''the expansion of terrorism in the world''. A spokesman for the Prime Minister's office said international law needed to be changed to allow countries such as Israel that faced threats from terrorism to properly defend themselves.

Mr Netanyahu also instructed Israel's Foreign Ministry to develop a special informational campaign to combat the findings of the Goldstone report.

The message he wants the campaign to stress is that Israel will be willing to make diplomatic and territorial concessions in negotiations with the Palestinians and Syria only if its right to self-defence is guaranteed.

''Our battle is to delegitimise the ongoing attempt to delegitimise the state of Israel,'' he said. ''The most important front on which we have to act in this context, is world public opinion in the democratic world.''

The chief of staff of the Israel Defence Forces, General Gabi Ashkenazi, told a meeting of the Israeli security cabinet that any independent Israeli investigation of the war, as recommended by the Goldstone report, would send a message to the senior command and the soldiers that the Government had no confidence in them.

"I commanded this war, and I can tell you: there has been no army more moral than us.[/b ] I stand behind this war, and I take full responsibility for everything that happened.''

Meanwhile, the US President, Barack Obama, is putting pressure on Israel to agree to a summit with the Palestinians next month on the basis of Israel's commitment to reach an agreement and establish a Palestinian state within two years.

Mr Obama is seeking commitments from Israel that it agree to a withdrawal of settlements from the West Bank. According to the US plan, after the summit is held, intensive talks will take place between Israel and the Palestinians to reach a ''final status'' arrangement.

Sources said last night Israel did not accept such demands, but confirmed that to give the resumption of the peace talks a chance, Israel might still agree to a temporary construction freeze in the West Bank that will last between six months and a year.

Mr Netanyahu's team is in Washington for talks with Mr Obama's Middle East envoy, George Mitchell, as is a team representing the Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas.

Change rules of war, Israeli PM demands

Oh my fucking God.

 

[MaNiElla]

Re: Warmonger Israeli Warlord demands Israel-style war crimes be legalised

:burn: !!!!!

 

[JonathanM]

Why would he bother?

Israel is rarely involved in any 'wars'; it's usually just one sided ass kickery.

 

[Sprangler]

In the age of Islamic terror the classic "rules of war" aren't always applicable or relevant, so what's the problem?

 

[pman]

Why does war even have rules! it is a battle for supremecy between two or more countries, why not make it anything goes, if other countries don't agree with what your doing, they attack you!

 

[murphyad]

Why does war even have rules!

Simple moral decency, I would assume.

Human rights are not forfeit in wartime.

Otherwise: "oh, there's a war on, so therefore, since we're locked in a battle for supremacy, we are free to rape the women and children of our opponent's nation, coz we are gonna be VICTORIOUS!!!!!1111. Then we'll justify it by saying that it made military sense, give them some of that battle for supremacy shit, and then suddenly everyone will understand and our behaviour will be completely vindicated".

 

[Riet]

I don't get your point its not like firing rockets into civilian centres is acceptable. I never understand why pro-palestine people whinge about civlian casualties. Hamas and shit actively aim for them, just because they have shitty weaponry doesn't make it excusable. Then people are surprised when a few civilians die because they were in the same building as people firing rockets? If israel wanted they could just carpetbomb the whole of gaza.

 

[jb_nc]

I don't get your point its not like firing rockets into civilian centres is acceptable. I never understand why pro-palestine people whinge about civlian casualties. Hamas and shit actively aim for them, just because they have shitty weaponry doesn't make it excusable. Then people are surprised when a few civilians die because they were in the same building as people firing rockets? If israel wanted they could just carpetbomb the whole of gaza.

ISRAEL V PALESTINE

ITS A DICHOTOMY

Pick and side and stay with it. GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO ISRAEL!!!

 

[Riet]

oh sorry I didnt realise Israel had been at war with anyone else recently.

 

[jb_nc]

oh sorry I didnt realise Israel had been at war with anyone else recently.

lmao