LAW

International legal export: Israel's assassinations are war crimes



In an opinion, unprecedented for it�s severity, Professor Antonio Cassese, renowned expert on international humanitarian law, determines that the assassinations carried out by the IDF in the Occupied Territories could be included in the legal definition of war crimes. Professor Cassese�s opinion will be submitted tomorrow to the High Court of Justice prior to the hearing scheduled for July 8, 2003 on the petition filed by LAW-The Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment and the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel (PCATI). 

LAW fears more human rights violations during a war on Iraq

LAW fears an increase of punitive home demolitions, intended to punish the families of ‘wanted’ political activists, of suicide bombers and other armed combatants. Since the beginning of the Intifada, at least 1,133 homes have been demolished. In the past two weeks, 17 homes have been demolished as collective punishment. LAW fears an increase in home and land destruction on security pretexts, particularly around the Egypt-Palestine border in Gaza, and around the northern West Bank sections close to Israel’s apartheid wall. In the past two weeks, 15 homes were demolished on security pretexts. 

Appeal to halt construction of Israel's apartheid wall denied

LAW today received a decision on an appeal filed on September 12 on behalf of four residents of Kufr Aqab in East Jerusalem to temporarily halt construction of a 3.8 km section of Israel’s “security wall,” running between Kufr Aqab and the Ofer military detention center, separating Kufr Aqab from Jerusalem. The wall shall be built near homes and built-up residential areas. 

British citizen and Palestinian child killed in Jenin

On Friday, November 22, Israeli forces attacked Jenin refugee camp, killed a Palestinian child and British engineer Ian Hook (50). An eyewitness stated that Hook exited the office, which overlooked snipers, raising the flag of the UN. He stood in front of the entrance of the office and asked the Israeli forces, including the sniper upon the roof of an eyewitness, to stop shooting. They did not heed his request, and opened fire upon him from a distance of around 20 meters. 

British solicitor instructed to pursue complaints, particularly against Shaul Mofaz



LAW and PCHR acting on behalf of specific individuals and families in the West Bank and Gaza instructed British human rights solicitor Imran Khan to lodge complaints on behalf of their clients in relation to the perpetration of war crimes and crimes against humanity, in particular naming Shaul Mofaz, former Chief of Staff of the Israeli military as a potential defendant.