Note: On Saturday the International Committee of the Red Cross said that the Blockade violated the Geneva Conventions and called for the lifting of the blockade ……..
This statement of the RED CROSS required immediate implementation by all governments .
The government of Israel in order to scuttle the proposed international investigation into serious acts committed aboard the Freedom Flotilla for Gaza amounting to acts of war , murder and piracy in International Waters , has unilaterally announced the appointment of an all Israeli inquiry committee with two international observers”without a vote “, namely Lord Trimble of Northern Ireland and retired Canadian General Ken Watkins , to probe whether the blockade of the government of Israel is in conformity with International Law ; whether the interdiction of the vessels conform to International Law and to investigate actions taken by the Gaza Convoy , organizers and participants . Prima facie the terms of reference of this committee do not include the decisions and acts of the government of Israel which are not required be probed by this by this committee, apart from the more fundamental objection to such a committee as the appointment by Israel of such an internal committee to inquire into its own acts , violates
basic and universal juridical principles to ensure independence of inquiries and investigations.
The government of Israel being itself under investigation , cannot be ‘a Judge in its own cause’ which even a young Israeli lawyer would opine , apart from the President of the United States of America who is familiar with principles of Jurisprudence .
The proposed inquiry by Israel is farcical , in defiance of international opinion and an attempt to defeat the proposal of the Secretary -General of the United Nations Mr.Ban Ki -Moon for an International Inquiry and investigation into the attacks on the Gaza bound Freedom Flotilla in which nine aboard the Turkish vessel MAVI MARMARA were mercilessly killed with pre-meditated intent with several injured and those on board the other vessels subject to intimidation and threats in International waters with lethal weapons amounting to acts of war, also required to be investigated . All Humanitarian Relief on board the vessels were seized and belongings of all the passengers plundered including valuables not returned till date, with even credit cards being misused by officials of the State of Israel.
Niloufer Bhagwat
