War crimes, hypocrisy and untruths…

(c) D G

Judge Daphne Wickman this week rejected a call for an arrest warrant for Israel’s defence minister, Ehud Barak, for his role in the Gaza war, under the auspices of the claim that Israel committed war crimes outlawed under the 1957 Geneva Convention. This was an important and correct call, that defends some of the most crucial liberties that we have. And it gives me an apt opportunity to denounce those who call Israel out for its ‘war crimes’.

This group of people, lead by the Stop the War coalition and flanked by numerous left wing organisations,  seek to absolve terrorists of their sins whilst condemning democracies from protecting themselves from attack. They are the same people who whilst hurling abuse at Israel, the US and the west for its wars on humanity, will wave the flags of organisations such as Hizbollah in solidarity. Yes, that same flag of those who preach for the end to the state of Israel, engage in Holocaust denial and have in the past said that they ‘promise Israel a blood-filled new year’.

The idea that many of the Stop the War pacifists who lead such rallies march in defence and solidarity with such a movement is the most visual and telling demonstration of their hypocrisy. Can we really take such an ignorant and one sided movement seriously? Luckily, many do not. Yet their constant hyperbole about Israel and war crimes needs to be denounced. The warrant for the arrest of Barak raises three important issues about our rights.

First, is that of being treated equally before the eyes of the law. For Britain, the US and their allies have been as guilty as Israel in their bombings of Serbia, Afghanistan and Iraq in recent times. One would have to arrest their leaders as well. Further to this, one would have to issue an arrest warrant for any member of Hamas or Hizbollah who step foot in this country, as they brazenly commit war crimes by using civilians as human shields. Such arrest warrants have not been forthcoming in recent times when members of Hizbollah stepped foot on British territory.

Second, there is a principle that one is innocent until proven guilty, which the Palestinians calling for this arrest seem to have forgotten. Need we forget that one of the most serious allegations concerned the bombing of a school in Gaza. This was an accusation made at the time, which ignores the evidence that all 43 people killed in the attack died outside the school, not on its premises. Furthermore, the UN itself admitted that a clerical error lead to them believing that Israel attacked a UN school. Added to the contention that Israel used white phospherous, which is legal as long as it is in self defence, there is no compelling evidence that Israel committed war crimes. In fact, there’s barely any credible evidence at all. It may be true, if we had all the evidence to hand, but we don’t, and to suppose that Israel is guilty without a due process or reasoned analysis taking place is abusing the right to be innocent until proven guilty.

Third, given the highly dubious contention of war crimes aimed at Israel, and the double standard of applying such an accusation at the country whilst absolving countless others of the same sin, it would seem that those bringing this arrest warrant are unhappy that Israel exercised its right to self defence.

Imagine the implications for this principle, had the arrest warrant been issued. Would this mean equally that the US would have not had the right to defend itself and bring to justice those who committed such atrocities on 9.11?

What’s the point in arresting Ehud Barak? If he were apprehended, and the same situation occurred again, the next Israeli defence minister would make the same decision. Israel is not a country that simply sits back whilst rockets are fired on its civilians, and few sane individuals the world over in such a position of responsibility would simply do nothing and allow its people to suffer in this way, no matter what the strength of the rockets, or the numbers killed by these. One life is too many.

If these individuals want to follow and prosecute those who commit war crimes, I fully support their cause. I would actively join them, were they to engage in a fair and just pursuit of those guilty of such criminal activities. Somehow I doubt they would go after their own, though.