Israeli Act of War on NATO Country: Will the Alliance Put Up or Shut Up?
01.06.2010
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Pages: 12 <http://english.pravda.ru/opinion/columnists/113604-1/>
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The NATO Charter is crystal clear on the obligations of its member states in
the event of an attack against the vessels of one of the signatory parties.
Since NATO is always quick to make belligerent declarations against Russia or
Iran and is obliged by its Charter to take joint action, let us see what it is
going to do after Israel’s act of piracy on the high seas, its massacre, its
kidnapping and illegal detention of civilians and seizure of property.
For Israel, what happened on Monday was an “unfolding event” in the words of
Prime Minister Netanyahu <http://english.pravda.ru/filing/etanyahu/> , who ran
away from yet another embarrassing meeting at the White House while in the
words of its Foreign Ministry, the actions of its soldiers were justified,
because they were frightened. Such arrogance is typical of today’s State of
Israel.
If a group of pirates board your ship in international waters, you attack them.
Period. If an armed group belonging to the armed forces of a State boards a
ship in international waters, then commits a massacre, then seizes the vessels
and kidnaps the occupants, it is not only a crime under international law but
also an act of war.
Here, the NATO <http://english.pravda.ru/filing/NATO/> Charter is crystalline:
Article 5 States:
“The Parties agree that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe
or North America shall be considered an attack against them all and
consequently they agree that, if such an armed attack occurs, each of them, in
exercise of the right of individual or collective self-defence recognised by
Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, will assist the Party or
Parties so attacked by taking forthwith, individually and in concert with the
other Parties, such action as it deems necessary, including the use of armed
force, to restore and maintain the security of the North Atlantic area.
“Any such armed attack and all measures taken as a result thereof shall
immediately be reported to the Security Council. Such measures shall be
terminated when the Security Council has taken the measures necessary to
restore and maintain international peace and security”.
The UNSC has predictably stated that it “deeply regrets” the loss of life and
injuries resulting from Israel’s operation and has called for an enquiry which
is “prompt, impartial, credible and transparent”. However, Israel has gone even
further. It has impounded the ships it seized illegally in international waters
(piracy) after committing (yet another) massacre and it has kidnapped the
members of the international aid delegation taking humanitarian aid supplies to
the starving people of Gaza.
Article 6 (1) describes what constitutes an “armed attack”, namely, among other
actions, “an attack on the forces, vessels or aircraft of any of the Parties”
in a theatre which includes the Mediterranean Sea.
So, what is NATO going to do about The Chosen Ones
<http://english.pravda.ru/filing/Chosen_Ones/> ? The answer: absolutely nothing
whatsoever, apart from making a few noises. The reason why is because the
United States of America will veto each and every resolution from the UNSC
which creates difficulties for Israel to act as it pleases. In that case, why,
then does NATO exist and where is the freedom of its member states to act
autonomously?
Let us be honest. NATO is controlled by the USA. It was not elected, yet it
runs its member states’ foreign policy. How long will it be before this becomes
part of a party political agenda, for surely, NATO membership contradicts the
terms of national Constitutions?
If NATO and the international community will content themselves with soundbites
and not actions, the citizens of the world can act. Products with the numbers
729 on the left of the bar code come from Israel.
Timothy BANCROFT-HINCHEY
PRAVDA.Ru
http://english.pravda.ru/opinion/columnists/113604-1/
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