“Seasoned and objective analysts have been surprised and alarmed at American officials’ extreme reactions to Belgium’s recently modified universal jurisdiction law. US threats seem excessive and hysterical, especially since the new law successfully filtered out two cases lodged in the Belgian courts against US officials for alleged war crimes committed in Iraq in 1991 and 2003. Could there be any unspoken reasons for the unprecedented and impolitic arm-twisting of the Belgian government by US officials in recent weeks?” Laurie King-Irani examines the political context of recent attempts to gut Belgium’s admirable universal jurisdiction law. Read more about Confronting Impunity for War Crimes: The Choice before Belgium -- and All of Us
“In an unprecedented act of interference in a sovereign state’s judicial and political processes, the US government yesterday forced the Belgian government to gut Belgium’s admirable and progressive universal jurisdiction legislation (anti- atrocity law), which had already undergone careful reconfiguration in Belgium’s parliament two months ago. The US feared that this law, which incorporates international law into Belgian national law, might lead to the prosecution of US military or governmental officials, or their possible arrest in Belgium. Numerous legal impediments to these possibilities exist. Belgium outlined all of them in an attempt to deflect US pressure, but to no avail in the face of US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld’s strong-arm techniques of persuasion.” Laurie King-Irani explains. Read more about On learning lessons: Belgium's universal jurisdiction law under threat
“Not only Palestinians are desperately trapped now in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but Jews are, too. Fear and anxiety are unshakeable daily companions. The outward manifestation of this mental landscape is the many infrastructural projects erupting everywhere along the seam between East and West Jerusalem. These public works projects are not about the ‘public’; they will not improve or enhance common spaces, but rather, will only further constrict shared spaces by diverting traffic, housing, commerce, and socializing according to racial distinctions. Walls and barricades are omnipresent, marring Jerusalem’s beauty and cutting into its soul, wounding all who see it, Palestinians and Israelis, Arabs and Jews, locals and foreigners.” EI co-founder Laurie King-Irani reports on a recent visit to Jerusalem. Read more about Escaping what entraps us: reflections from Jerusalem
The American Association for Palestinian Equal Rights (AAPER) is one of the newest organizations in Washington, DC. Launched this week as America’s pro-Palestine, pro-peace, pro-human rights lobby, AAPER’s mission is to educate the American public about Palestinians’ human and national rights, as well as the US government’s role in the Arab-Israeli relationship. Electronic Intifada co-founder Laurie King-Irani recently interviewed AAPER’s founder, George Naggiar, about his formative influences, guiding visions, and ultimate goals for this new and unique lobbying organization. Read more about Interview: AAPER, America's Pro-Palestine, Pro-Peace Lobby
“Reports announcing the death of the case lodged by survivors of the Sabra and Shatila massacre in Belgium have been greatly exaggerated and persistent, but to date, categorically false. For supporters of the growing global campaign against impunity for war crimes and crimes against humanity, the good news is that this case is still very much alive, although it has been affected by rulings of the International Court of Justice, wear and tear on Belgium’s bi-lateral ties with the US and Israel, and a global political context that has sharpened debate about war crimes, impunity, and the limitations and requirements of international criminal prosecution.” Laurie King-Irani, North American Coordinator for the International Campaign for Justice for the Victims of Sabra and Shatila, explains recent political and legal twists and turns in the landmark war crimes case in Belgium. Read more about The Sabra and Shatila Case in Belgium: A Guide for the Perplexed
“All the pipes and drums of political rallies and remembrance day parades; all the ink of history books, policy papers, executive summaries, and polemical tracts; all the solemn newsbytes, sturm und drang and spin of media coverage are pointless here at the edge of Gaza. Talk or yell, scream or rationalize, pontificate or analyze all you want, but it all boil down to this: A husband, a wife, and their three small children clinging to the vain hope of home and normalcy in a shattered neighborhood of demolished houses.” EI’s Laurie King-Irani asks you to follow the Road Map all the way to Rafah and take a good, hard look around. Read more about The edge of reason
As a service to newly arrived diplomatic and media visitors in Palestine trying to make sense of a confusing new road map, BNN provides this helpful and up-to-date traffic report. Read more about Palestine traffic report
“Rachel Corrie died for the sins of all High Contracting Parties to the Geneva Conventions who have neglected to discharge their legally binding obligations to protect human rights and prevent impunity for confirmed rights violators. It should not fall on the shoulders of college seniors from Olympia, Washington to rectify the tragedies that nation states helped to create and are obligated to prevent.” EI co-founder Laurie King-Irani traces the sources of Rachel Corrie’s courage to the principles of International Humanitarian Law while noting that her murder highlights the urgency of halting Israeli impunity. Read more about Of broken bodies and unbreakable laws
“After nearly two years of reversals of fortune and near-death moments, the landmark case lodged by survivors of the Sabra and Shatila massacres was resurrected and revitalized last week, offering renewed hope to human rights activists and victims of state crimes throughout the world and posing challenges to those who have enjoyed impunity for far too long.” Laurie King-Irani, an EI founder and the North American Coordinator of the International Campaign for Justice for the Victims of Sabra and Shatila, looks at the implications of a decision by the Belgian Supreme Court last week. Read more about Belgium's Challenge to War's Ancient Calculus
“Ironically, the neo-conservatives and Likudniks of George W. Bush’s regime who want to bring “democracy” to the Arab-Islamic world — by force if necessary — can realize their plans only by first dismantling democracy in the United States of America. They can’t pull off their neo-con artist sleight-of-hand unless they successfully shut down public debate and strangle participatory grassroots politics at home and abroad.” EI’s Laurie King-Irani examines the historical links between US and Israeli plans for regime change in the Middle East. Read more about Democracy's role in preventing the neo-con artists' dangerous sleight-of-hand
