Darius11 12 #1 September 13, 2011 http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/09/13/us-un-gaza-rights-idUSTRE78C59R20110913 QuoteU.N. experts say Israel's blockade of Gaza illegal (Reuters) - Israel's naval blockade of the Gaza Strip violates international law, a panel of human rights experts reporting to a U.N. body said on Tuesday, disputing a conclusion reached by a separate U.N. probe into Israel's raid on a Gaza-bound aid ship. The so-called Palmer Report on the Israeli raid of May 2010 that killed nine Turkish activists said earlier this month that Israel had used unreasonable force in last year's raid, but its naval blockade of the Hamas-ruled strip was legal. A panel of five independent U.N. rights experts reporting to the U.N. Human Rights Council rejected that conclusion, saying the blockade had subjected Gazans to collective punishment in "flagrant contravention of international human rights and humanitarian law." The four-year blockade deprived 1.6 million Palestinians living in the enclave of fundamental rights, they said. "In pronouncing itself on the legality of the naval blockade, the Palmer Report does not recognize the naval blockade as an integral part of Israel's closure policy toward Gaza which has a disproportionate impact on the human rights of civilians," they said in a joint statement. An earlier fact-finding mission named by the same U.N. forum to investigate the flotilla incident also found in a report last September that the blockade violated international law. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) says the blockade violates the Geneva Conventions. Israel says its Gaza blockade is a precaution against arms reaching Hamas and other Palestinian guerrillas by sea. The four-man panel headed by former New Zealand Prime Minister Geoffrey Palmer found Israel had used unreasonable force in dealing with what it called "organized and violent resistance from a group of passengers." Turkey has downgraded ties with Israel over the incident. Richard Falk, U.N. special rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories and one of the five experts who issued Tuesday's statement, said the Palmer report's conclusions were influenced by a desire to salve Turkish-Israeli ties. "The Palmer report was aimed at political reconciliation between Israel and Turkey. It is unfortunate that in the report politics should trump the law," he said in the statement. About one-third of Gaza's arable land and 85 percent of its fishing waters are totally or partially inaccessible due to Israeli military measures, said Olivier De Schutter, U.N. special rapporteur on the right to food, another of the five. At least two-thirds of Gazan households lack secure access to food, he said. "People are forced to make unacceptable trade-offs, often having to choose between food or medicine or water for their families." The other three experts were the U.N. special rapporteurs on physical and mental health; extreme poverty and human rights; and access to water and sanitation. Posted in the other thread as well. But I figure I'll give the Israeli supporters a chance to find some BS to call on this as well. Apparently to them the only source that’s valid is the voices in their heads.I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not." - Kurt Cobain Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
beowulf 1 #2 September 13, 2011 I couldn't care less about either the Palestinians or the Israelis. Both are contributing to the problems and are deserving of the results. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Amazon 7 #3 September 13, 2011 War is hell... get the fuck over it..... or better yet make peace..... trouble is your muslim brothers are incapable of doing that and keep attacking Israel in the hopes they can murder a few more jews till there are none left... which is the next best thing for them other than the whole 72 virgin thing in Paradise. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
falxori 0 #4 September 14, 2011 QuoteA panel of five independent U.N. rights experts reporting to the U.N. Human Rights Council enough said. This "council" is a joke, focusing almost only on Israel while ignoring major crises like Sudan. Even the UN secretary general said that "The Secretary-General is disappointed at the council's decision to single out only one specific regional item given the range and scope of allegations of human rights violations throughout the world" There was a UN panel accepted by both sides. Now that they found that it is legal, you undermine its legitimacy? That is lame... "Carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dreamdancer 0 #5 September 14, 2011 that's a quote from 2006 meanwhile the blockade is now known to be illegal...stay away from moving propellers - they bite blue skies from thai sky adventures good solid response-provoking keyboarding Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andy9o8 0 #6 September 14, 2011 Quotethat's a quote from 2006 meanwhile the blockade is now known to be illegal... You're making it up. Again. It's simply not the fact. You don't even try to be accurate or support a position - just fabricated "facts", one-liners and cherry-picked cut & paste. You really have made yourself irrelevant. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
falxori 0 #7 September 14, 2011 On both accounts. - the quote is from June 2006, according to Wikipedia - As we know, the UN panel that was assigned to investigate it, found the blockade is legal. Just ignore the trolls... "Carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kelpdiver 2 #8 September 14, 2011 so, Ori, what do you make of Turkey's threat to send a warship along with the next convoy? Pointless saber rattling given their military strength? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
falxori 0 #9 September 14, 2011 I honestly don't know and I hope I never find out. Technically, they can escort whoever they want But if they cross into Israeli water it can be considered an act of war. Plus being a member of NATO, I dont know how will that play out. It's probably just an empty threat but I dont think we can take a chance. Turkeys latest alignment with Iran and the. Syria didn't work well for them so maybe they'll change course a bit. Not sure we fully understand the motivation here. I can promise u its not concern for human rights though... "Carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkyDekker 1,147 #10 September 14, 2011 This is one of those precarious situations where democracy might work out to be extremely detrimental to western interests. Take Egypt as an example, which has been one of the better "allies" of Isreal under Mubarak. Under a democracy the new regime will have to pay a lot closer attention to the mood of the people, which is decidedly more against Israel. Forces western nations to walk a very difficult tightrope. (and causes Egyptian generals to simply not answer the phone when US officials call to drum up support for an overrun Israeli Embassy.) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kelpdiver 2 #11 September 14, 2011 QuoteI honestly don't know and I hope I never find out. Technically, they can escort whoever they want But if they cross into Israeli water it can be considered an act of war. Plus being a member of NATO, I dont know how will that play out. The NATO angle is the one that I think about most with this. (Though frankly, I don't understand the reason for its continued existence now that the Soviets are replaced by a single commodity exporter in Russia.) Figure at least the US and UK would lean on Turkey to turn about well short of the boundary lines. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kelpdiver 2 #12 September 14, 2011 QuoteThis is one of those precarious situations where democracy might work out to be extremely detrimental to western interests. In the shorter picture, definitely. Just as freedom isn't free - other people exercise their civil rights in ways one might not appreciate. In the longer picture, democracy coupled with minimal education (for girls too) leads in the right direction. Quote Take Egypt as an example, which has been one of the better "allies" of Isreal under Mubarak. Under a democracy the new regime will have to pay a lot closer attention to the mood of the people, which is decidedly more against Israel. This is true. The emerging leadership will have to weigh the consequences of ignoring prior treaty commitments. And it seems that since the Sinai entrance to Gaza was opened up, it's turned into quite a wild west in that area. The instability of the Egyptian government is the primary worry. What's true today may not be true next week. Hopefully they'll avoid grand actions until it solidifies. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
virgin-burner 1 #13 September 15, 2011 Quote Quote that's a quote from 2006 meanwhile the blockade is now known to be illegal... You're making it up. Again. It's simply not the fact. You don't even try to be accurate or support a position - just fabricated "facts", one-liners and cherry-picked cut & paste. You really have made yourself irrelevant. while i agree with your point, is it really necessary to point out EVERY-FUCKING-TIME he's made himself irrelevant!? it gets annoying! “Some may never live, but the crazy never die.” -Hunter S. Thompson "No. Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try." -Yoda Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
falxori 0 #14 September 15, 2011 QuoteThe emerging leadership will have to weigh the consequences of ignoring prior treaty commitments So, if they cancel the peace treaty, shouldn't they return the Sinai to Israel? I mean, they got it back in return for peace... "Carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kelpdiver 2 #15 September 15, 2011 QuoteQuoteThe emerging leadership will have to weigh the consequences of ignoring prior treaty commitments So, if they cancel the peace treaty, shouldn't they return the Sinai to Israel? I mean, they got it back in return for peace... well, typically when one blows off their commitments, they cheat on both ends. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
