I am sorry Foxy, the moment I see – U N- Human rights- and International Media - or any other industry for parasites; I just switch off- these mental institutions are propaganda proliferators – And in all seriousness, any war is a crime – but when you are attacked and it is in self defence – Gods word allows for your survival – Then the definition of War Crime is negated and Defending is by any means nessasery.
Humanitarianism and The U N - along with Media – are a Paradoxical Oxymoron. They are nothing of what their title suggests.

I agree that there should be a properly constituted investigation into war crimes in Gaza, and that anybody from either Israel or Hamas who can be identified as committing them should face trial.

Of course, given that the Israeli commanders decided to use disproportionate force - e.g. white phosphorus and depleted uranium weapons in crowded civilian areas - then it seems quite likely that any objective investigation will find more Israeli culprits than from Hamas. Which is of course why it won't happen.

Is Boaz-Porky still banned, but using his BOAZ_David account as a sockpuppet to facilitate commenting while he is suspended? Naughty naughty.

This is an interesting discussion.

We're getting a wide spectrum of opinions
which is good. And I am pleased that both
sides of the issue are being raised.
And that was what I expected. After all
we don't necessarily see things as they are,
we see them as we are.

I've come across an intersting web site:

http://uk.reuters.com/article/middleeastCrisis/idUKLM736083

"UN investigator sees evidence of war crimes in Gaza."
By Jonathan Lynn, Thurs. Jan 22, 2009.

Richard Falk, UN investigator, told a Geneva news
conference: "I believe that there
is the prima facie case for an independent inquiry..."

CJ..I've received no notification that I'm banned..I just assumed it.

Foxy..this thread began with bias and prejudice and it seems you are perpetuating that.

"Because while it may be
Gaza today, it could be some other place down the
road, a few years from now."

WHY...oh why.. did you not be fair and say YESTERDAY.. i.e.. years of HAMAS rockets onto innocent Israeli children and mothers in towns?

I really want to know why? I feel there are a LOT of others who also want to know WHY?

Why is this 'war crimes in Gaza' only limited to what Israel did..and not what HAMAS did?

Failure to address this point is outright bigotry, prejudice and anti semitism.

Why did this UN official single out Israel and NOT HAMAS? is he a sympathizer with their genocidal objectives?

Any doubting Thomas's or Thomasina's out there.. can be educated by this statement from Mahmoud Al Zahar of HAMAS.

http://memri.org/bin/latestnews.cgi?ID=SD108306
"Palestine means Palestine in its entirety - from the [Mediterranean] Sea to the [Jordan] River, from Ras Al-Naqura to Rafah. We cannot give up a single inch of it. Therefore, we will not recognize the Israeli enemy's [right] to a single inch. That is one thing.

"The second thing is that if the right of return is an individual right, neither Mahmoud Al-Zahar nor 'Abbas Zaki can relinquish it, because all these concessions will constitute a national catastrophe.

"The third point is that we can found a state on any piece of the land, and this will not mean we give up on any other part of the land."

In the interview..Zahar made this point as follows:

"Let's be very clear.. VERY clear"... (etc)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhEoz897qkE&feature=email

I want to know WHY are people in denial about this ? well...why?

I assure.. my language and accusative tone will become much harsher if this is not addressed.

BOAZ,

"WAR CRIMES.. just let me know when you will mention ALL .. incLUDing those committed by HAMAS in GAZA (by using human shields) and in Israel with rockets."

For starters, Hamas is essentially a resistance movement. Their fighters are paramilitary and do not operate under a national flag. As such, there won't be a war crimes tribunal held against them. Not to say their leaders and fighters have not committed crimes, but that their penalty tends to be different - death by high-grade explosive.

War crimes are reserved for commanders mainly, who use the power of a sovereign military force to deliberately carry out illegal activities on the battleground. The sorts of claims made against Israel like shooting civilians indiscriminately, deploying white phosphorus and other ordnance that is way too powerful for the legitimate target they are fighting is the sort of thing war crimes tribunals should be set up to investigate.

If a tribunal discovers that Hamas was responsible for deliberately provoking Israel and consequently putting its own citizens in danger, then this should be seen as a mitigating factor in any penalty of Israel.

But a war crimes investigation of Israel is highly unlikely as long as the war is ongoing and Israel is the dominant force in the region.

BOAZ_David,

There's an old Jewish saying:

"The worth of every man is proportionate
to what he knows..."

I can't be held responsible for the
assumptions that you choose to make or
how you choose to interpret what I have
said.

This topic was raised in the World News Media,
hence this thread.

I have no intention of taking sides in this discussion,
that's not my aim.

I gave the website earlier, of Richard Falk, the
United Nations Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in
the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and International
Law Authority, at Princeton University (also Jewish),
because he is an expert on the subject we're
discussing.

Your threat to use a 'harsher tone,' may impress your
children, but it has no affect on a Forum such as this.

You obviously have some sort of a problem.
I'd suggest you keep it under control, as it's
not appropriate to carry on the way you do.