Beth- The title of the article says it all.
Because the committee seems pre-disposed to a political judgement, and does not include a military person as a full member, it will certainly make Israel look bad. It's a "lose-lose" for Israel - if they allow the committee in on these terms, it says Israel used excessive force. If Israel impedes the committee, it has something to hide. I question the necessity of Israel virtually demolishing the refugee camp to root out the terrorists. I wonder about some of the "retribution" reports. But I wasn't there. I wish that Israel had brought press or international observers along on the Jenin operation, but maybe that's simplistic thinking on my part... <sigh> -Ben > What do you guys make of the following? > > > > This is from today's Ha'aretz. > > > > > > The findings are known in advance > > > > By Ze'ev Segal > > > > > > > http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=157041&contrassID > =2&subContrassID=4&sbSubContrassID=0&listSrc=Y > > > > > > The commission investigating the events of the Sabra and Chatilla refugee > > camps determined that the massacre was carried out by the Phalangists and > > that the State of Israel thus did not bear direct responsibility for it. > > > > In a note to the summary of their report, published in February 1983, the > > members of the Kahan commission said they were not deluding themselves > > into thinking that "the results of this inquiry would convince or satisfy > > those with prejudiced views and a selective conscience." > > > > About a year ago, the Belgian court hearing the case against Prime > > Minister Ariel Sharon and other senior Israeli officials was presented > > with a whole set of testimonies, which appeared to be well-coordinated and > > orchestrated, about atrocities allegedly committed by Israeli soldiers in > > the camps. > > > > A similar set of testimonies could also be the daily bread of the > > fact-finding committee appointed by United Nations Secretary General Kofi > > Annan to look into the events in the Jenin refugee camp. Palestinian > > sources, who are still making waves in international broadcasts, continue > > to claim there was a massacre in Jenin. This is the picture that will be > > presented to the fact-finding team by Palestinian witnesses, who will > > presumably speak with a single voice. > > > > There is reason for concern that Israeli testimony will not lead the > > committee - which is commissioned to report its findings to the UN > > secretary-general and Security Council - to an unequivocal conclusion that > > there was never was any massacre. A complete rejection of the massacre > > claim would entail a pointed refutation of the testimony of the > > Palestinian side, something the committee would seek to avoid given its > > political nature. > > > > The fact-finding committee is comprised of people of political and > > humanitarian background, without legal expertise in the objective and > > professional reviewing of facts. The committee does not include any > > experts with military background in fighting terror, and the general > > characteristics of the committee are far from that of the commission of > > inquiry that is customary in Israel. This type of committee does not even > > raise an expectation that its investigation would be impartial. > > > > Israeli government officials assume that the recordings, photographs and > > transcripts of prisoner interrogations pointing to the truth would be > > relevant only to a fact-finding committee of a legal nature. The UN > > committee is not like this. At best it may conclude - in a "note" attached > > to the findings or in some other way - that it is impossible to determine > > with certainty that there was a massacre in Jenin. This conclusion would > > come together with the predictable findings that Israel used "excessive > > force" and "prevented humanitarian aid." This type of conclusion was > > actually already sounded by Terje Larsen, according to which "Israel > > prevented aid organizations and international assistance from entering for > > seven days." > > > > This type of statement, without addressing the overall context, is enough > > to open the gates to war crimes tribunals and other investigations, and > > serve as the basis for anti-Israel decisions in UN institutions. The UN > > secretary general did not rule out the possibility of putting soldiers on > > trial for war crimes, though UN sources said those testifying would be > > promised immunity. > > > > The need to vigorously oppose sending soldiers before the UN panel is not > > because we have something to hide. The widespread assumption is that we > > have nothing to hide. The IDF could have submitted its material and > > personnel for a review before a neutral and objective committee, but not > > to a committee representing the the Security Council, in which Israel does > > not get a fair hearing. > > > > The promise of immunity for IDF soldiers from international criminal > > prosecution is a bluff. Immunity inherently exists only on the assumption > > that those implicated under questioning will not travel abroad. Otherwise, > > they will not have immunity and the findings of the committee will haunt > > them wherever they go. A government decision to subject them to > > questioning would be inconsistent with the state's obligation to protect > > the dignity and freedom of its soldiers, as also expressed in the Basic > > Law on Human Dignity and Freedom. > > > > It is accepted in law that a state can renege on a promise in the face of > > a clear "public interest." Israel does not need to stand by its initial > > agreement to the formation of a UN committee in light of its composition > > and character, which does not promise an honest and unbiased inquiry. > > > > Israel cannot agree to cooperate with a committee that would discuss the > > actions in Jenin according to political considerations without addressing > > the overall picture of Jenin as "the capital of suicide bombers" and the > > whole series of horrific attacks that led to the IDF action. Israel could > > submit to the committee - if its relationship with the United States so > > required - recordings and aerial photos of the Jenin operation, and > > documents about Jenin's role in terror and about the chain of terror > > attacks in Israel and the territories. > > > > However, the government should not, under any condition, expose IDF > > soldiers to an international inquiry whose findings are actually known in > > advance. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -----------------------------------------~-~> > > ShomerNet changes via email: > > Switch to digest: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Switch to normal: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Stop receiving mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Permanently unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > ------------------------------------------_-> > > > > Your use of Yahoo! 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