Lebanon: We will sue Israel in Hague

YNet ^ | Aug. 1, 2006 | Roee Nahmias

[Alouette]

Lebanese minister of justice states that Israel's attacks constitute war crimes, crimes against humanity, and wonders how pictures of Qana did not bring about ceasefire. Red Cross publishes that 28 corpses evacuated from Qana, contrary to Lebanese reports that 57 people were killed

Lebanon is planning to file a lawsuit against Israel in the International Criminal Court. Tuesday, Lebanese Minister of Justice Charles Rizk made a written petition to the Lebanese Prime Minister, Fouad Siniora, asking him to bring up the issue in the next meeting of the Lebanese cabinet, so that the prime minister will be able to collect witnesses in preparation before filing of the complaint.

The minister wrote to the prime minister: "The repeated Israeli attacks on Lebanon, on its infrastructure, its citizens, women and children, since July 12 are a grave breech of international law and international agreements. As such, they clearly constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity."

"In preparation for the pursuit of the Israeli enemy in the relevant international courts, and in a bid to punish these crimes and to bring them to justice, the Lebanese government must prepare a comprehensive case that will include and detail all the attacks and crimes committed. This is with the intent that Israel pay restitution on all the physical and moral damages that she caused Lebanon and her citizens," he wrote.

"Accordingly, I request of you to present the issue in the cabinet meeting so that the decision can be made to assign the mission of performing a comprehensive survey of damage caused and of gathering proof of crimes committed to the Defense Ministry or the Ministry of the Interior. This will be done with legal oversight so that it may be passed on at the right moment in order to go after the perpetrators of these crimes," he added.

In addition, Minister Rizk expressed his regret that the "Qana massacre did not horrify the conscience and did not bring about a UN decision for a ceasefire.

The Red Cross published that 28 corpses were evacuated from Qana, 19 of which were children. The report clashes with the Lebanese report that 57 people were killed.

[norton]

"In addition, Minister Rizk expressed his regret that the "Qana massacre did not horrify the conscience and did not bring about a UN decision for a ceasefire."

Oh yes;
The best laid plans of mice and men and islamofascists...oft go astray.

Tsk!

[Convert from ECUSA]

Excellent!

[monkeyshine]

wonders how pictures of Qana did not bring about ceasefire

A very telling line. Hezbullah deliberately draws fire on civilians because they want Israel to cease fire. They do it on purpose because they know they can not otherwise win the battles. That is why pictures did not bring about a cease fire, and that is why it can easily be inferred that Hezbullah either deliberately set those people up for their deaths, or even may have killed them themselves.

[monkeyshine]

You can have the best lawyer in the world but the judges are bought and paid for with oil money...

[Hound of the Baskervilles]

Cute!

[McGavin999]

LOL, I love that!

[festus]

That's my take on it.

[reformedliberal]

From what I can tell, much of Europe is still traumatized by WWII. They don't like Jews and they certainly don't want them back in Europe to remind them of their own actions sixty-five or seventy years ago. When faced with arguments concerning self-defense, Israel can raise the specter of what happened the last time the Jews didn't defend themselves.

I bet the ICC will not want to touch this suit. And even if they agree to hear it, cases at The Hague drag on for decades. Enforcement won't even be an issue until most of us are already dead or gone. Also, can a country sue another country? I think they have to sue individual leaders. If a judgment was brought, those individuals could just avoid Europe for the rest of their lives.If the EU were to decide to boycott Israeli investments, how would that change anything, except to deprive Europe of produce and textiles and technology?

I truly doubt this is going to give anyone in Israel more than a moment's pause.