Aljazeera explains why Israel committed war crimes, on Livestation

The English broadcast of Aljazeera (and many other channels, including BBC News, France24) can be easily viewed through the Livestation player (free - Windows, Mac, Linux). Get the full story on the Israel-Gaza war, and learn why many believe that the Israelis have committed war crimes.
Amnesty International has said it is "undeniable" that Israel used white phosphorus in crowded civilian areas, contrary to international law, charging that this amounted to a war crime.

Accusing Israel of using excessive force, Ban Ki-moon, the UN secretary-general, has demanded that those responsible for bombing UN buildings in the Palestinian territory be made accountable.

UN schools and the main aid headquarters where tonnes of food was stocked were bombed.

Eight Israeli human rights groups have called on the Israeli government to investigate the scale of the casualties, describing the number of dead women and children as "terrifying".

LINKS
- Livestation
- Aljazeera: Israel to shield Gaza war soldiers

Israeli Jews keep killing Palestinians at a disproportional rate; and there's more...

The Progressive reports today that Israel continues their disproportionate killing of Palestinians in Gaza:

In the first 72 hours after Bush left the MidEast, Israel killed 37 Palestinians and injured more than 90, many of them civilians. Israel said these attacks were in response to crude rocket assaults from militants in Gaza, which injured two Israelis.

But it doesn't seem to stop there:

[...] Israel is now engaging in collective punishment against all Palestinians in Gaza. It closed the borders on January 18, so not even the UN humanitarian supplies could get in. As a result, hospitals in Gaza are running out of medicine.

And there's more:

And now Israel has cut off electricity to Gaza, leaving an entire population literally in the dark. Palestinians have no way of getting clean water or staying warm during cool nights or getting enough food or cooking oil for their children, or any fuel to get to and from work.

So can Israel just do as it pleases? What about international law?

Collective punishment has long been against international law, and it violates the Geneva Conventions.

The U.N. Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in the Palestinian Territories called Israel’s actions “serious war crimes.”

War crimes, war crimes, who cares?

- the Progressive: Israel Metes Out Collective Punishment of Palestinians, Bush Yawns

Israeli Air Strikes Kill 10 Palestinians in Gaza

Democracy Now!
Friday, May 18th, 2007
Headlines for May 18, 2007

Israeli air strikes in Gaza have killed at least 10 Palestinians over the past 24 hours. In the biggest raid, an Israeli bomb destroyed a two-story building belonging to Hamas. The bomb killed two members of Hamas and wounded 45 people including civilians who here buried in the rubble. Five more Palestinians died when Israeli war planes bombed a Hamas headquarters building east of Gaza City. A third Israeli air strike targeted a pickup truck near the southern town of Rafah. It killed three people, a father and his two teenage sons. Israeli troops and tanks have also moved across the Gaza border. Hamas accused Israel of colluding with Fatah in a battle for dominance over Gaza. A spokesperson for Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said the Israeli attacks were justified because Hamas is firing rockets into southern Israel.

• Miri Eisen: "We won't allow them to use their violence, their terror, against Israel. Israel knows how to respond. We will do all defensive measures to be sure that our citizens are safe. We will not be dragged by the Hamas into the mire of Gaza."

Hamas has vowed to keep carrying out rocket attacks. Paramedics in Israel said at least three Israelis were injured this morning in a rocket attack on the town of Sderot. On Thursday Hamas rockets hit a synagogue and a school.

• Hamas spokesperson Ayman Taha: "We will not be quiet for long with these continued crimes, and we will not stand with our hands tied. We're ready to launch any type of attack, by any means and equipment necessary, and in all the cities. We will choose the right time and place."

In Washington, the Bush administration has praised Israel for showing what it described as "great restraint." But the Arab League has denounced Israel for exploiting Palestinian infighting.

- Democracy Now Headlines
- The Age

More than 100,000 protest government in Tel Aviv

The people speak, but Olmert doesn't listen:

Tel Aviv/Jerusalem - More than 100,000 people joined a mass protest rally in Tel Aviv Thursday evening directed against Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Defence Minister Amir Peretz.

Organizers were calling on the two leaders to quit, saying they 'failed' in handling last summer's conflict with the Lebanese Shiite Hezbollah movement, known in Israel as the Second Lebanon War.

Meir Shalev, a prominent author, along with bereaved parents of soldiers killed in combat and members of Israel's military reserve forces spoke at the event in Yitzhak Rabin Square.

A large sign on the stage read 'Failures, Go Home!' - a slogan repeated by many of the night's speakers. Similar signs were held by protesters in the crowd, along with cards saying 'Elections Now' and other calls against Olmert and Peretz.

The event united members of the Israeli right and left. Signs with slogans from both sides of the political spectrum were held by protesters.

- Mosters and Critics

Press urges Israeli PM to go

Public support for Ehud Olmert is fading; will he survive this?

BBC News:

Many Middle Eastern papers agree that Israeli Prime Minister Olmert should leave office following the damning conclusions of an investigation into last summer's war in Lebanon.
Most Israeli papers see public support fading or turning to hostility given the severe criticism of the government's conduct. One paper says even Churchill would not have passed such scrutiny.
Other Mideast papers fear that Olmert will try to rehabilitate his reputation through another military action.

ISRAEL'S YEDIOT AHARONOT

The Winograd Committee has slaughtered Olmert, [Defence Minister] Peretz and [former chief of staff] Halutz. In a normal state it is doubtful that they would be able to be rehabilitated politically, but in the land of prophets and miracles anything can happen.

OFER SHELAH IN ISRAEL'S MAARIV

All political speculation is irrelevant. All the consultations being conducted by the wise men who surround Olmert and Peretz are in vain... Olmert cannot remain in office after the interim report of the Winograd Committee.

EHUD OSHRI IN ISRAEL'S HAARETZ

All the scope for erring and judgment given to a leader at times of war was narrowed to zero in the invasive investigation which followed. Even Churchill would not have passed this test. To Olmert's credit, it can be said at least that he has already learned from his mistakes.

NAHUM BARNEA IN ISRAEL'S YEDIOT AHARONOT

The bottom line is Ehud Olmert should go... He is sentenced to continue to serve in a hostile public atmosphere... In the end the feeling in the public will be translated into a political move.

ISRAEL'S HAARETZ

The Winograd Report contains not even one lenient word to which the prime minister could cling in order to extend his term... If the prime minister does not quit, he will be thrown out in a month or two. All this is virtually self-evident from the severity of the findings.

ISRAEL'S JERUSALEM POST

Having earlier stressed that he took full responsibility for the events last summer, the prime minister is now indicating that he will not resign. This is a mistake, and he must think again... He has said in interviews, including to this newspaper, that he believes he can yet rebuild the public's trust in him. This is unlikely, given the relentless swirl of corruption allegations surrounding him and his government.

YOSSI VERTER IN ISRAEL'S HAARETZ

Olmert has two options: resign, or die a slow, humiliating political death, torturous, undignified and foretold... Only a serious military crisis, a war in Gaza or on the northern front, led by another defence minister and chief of staff, could lengthen Olmert's time in office.

GHAZI AL-DADA IN SYRIA'S TISHRIN

Probably, Ehud Olmert's promise of "drawing lessons and correcting mistakes" will be carried out through a new military adventure or through new crimes committed against Palestinians. One could read this between the lines when Olmert said that he does not want an escalation with the Palestinians but that he might be forced into it, as if he is justifying in advance the crimes which he intends to commit.

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES' AL-KHALIJ

US President George Bush was the first to rush to praise Olmert after the substance of the Winograd Commission report was made public, with the aim of covering up for him... But, the question is: Can Bush, who is sunk in a quagmire, protect the failing Olmert?

HUSAM AL-DAWI IN QATAR'S AL-WATAN

Olmert and his government are in dire need of military action in order to improve their image following the fallout from the aggression on Lebanon... Accordingly, launching an attack remains a high possibility.

ABD-AL-BARI ATWAN IN PAN-ARAB AL-QUDS AL-ARABI

The main reason for this unprecedented historical failure was the endurance of the Islamic resistance, Hezbollah, on the battle field and its well planned military strategy. Hezbollah has every right to celebrate its victory again.

BBC: Press urges Israeli PM to go

Stephen Harper's anti-Palestine stand isolates Canada

Interesting article in the Globe and Mail today. Buried on page A11 (!) this shocking message;

Canadian officials yesterday confirmed they would not meet any member of the new government, taking a harder line than the White House.

Really?

Yes, really!

Canada risks isolation in the Arab world if it does not rescind its ban on meeting with members of the new coalition Palestinian government as the United States, United Nations and much of Europe have done, Palestinian Authority leaders caution.

The warning comes after Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay and Prime Minister Stephen Harper both snubbed Mustafa Barghouti, the moderate new Palestinian Information Minister, who was in Ottawa this week.

And then the lie by MacKay:

"Until such time as we see progress in the area of the Quartet principles, which call for the recognition of Israel, which call for the cessation of violence, which call for the road map to be adhered to, we are not going to deal directly with a terrorist organization, namely Hamas," he said.

As the Globe and Mail points out, "Mr. Barghouti, a one-time presidential candidate seen as a moderate, with no links to the Islamist Hamas party, [...]"

, and the PM's consistency is far from consistent; they DID meet with Mr. Barghouti before:

[...] Mr. Barghouti has met with Canadian officials in the past, including the Prime Minister's special envoy to the Middle East, Wajid Khan.

I guess policies are only to be followed when convenient.

And then this:

This trip, [Mr. Barghouti] said, was planned before the unity government was formed, but he decided to proceed as a "golden opportunity" to boost relations with Canada.

Instead, the chilly greeting has left Palestinian officials fuming.

Well, Mr. Bargouti doesn't seem to understand the political climate in Canada. Conservatives are pro-Israeli fundamentalists, and most of those tend to be somewhat anti-Palestinian. When it comes to the treatment of the Palestinian people, there's nothing new about our so-called "new" Canadian government; just a bit more backwards, that's all.

The Palestinian Authority leaders caution Stephen Harper's conservative Government:

Canada risks isolation in the Arab world if it does not rescind its ban on meeting with members of the new coalition Palestinian government as the United States, United Nations and much of Europe have done [...]

Globe and Mail article
See also this article.