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Palestinian Arabs

Doomed to death


By Ryan Jones
May 20, 2004

South African law professor John Dugard, a special UN envoy to the PA-controlled territories, said Israel’s use of force Wednesday against armed terrorists dispersed among a "Palestinian" mob in Rafiah constituted a "violation of international law."

"These actions constitute...war crimes...They also amount to collective punishment which violates both humanitarian law and international human rights law," he said, before suggesting the international community respond by imposing an arms embargo on Israel.

But Mr. Dugard is wrong.

Article 28 of the Fourth Geneva Convention clearly states "protected persons may not be used to render certain points or areas immune from military operations."

Furthermore, Article 27 of the same document gives the "parties to the conflict" the flexibility to "take such measures of control and security in regard to protected persons as may be necessary as a result of the war."

What all this means is that IDF soldiers can defend themselves against "Palestinian" civilians if they deem doing so "necessary as a result of the war."

If taking such action is the direct result of armed "Palestinians" using crowds of people as cover, then those gunmen are directly responsible for any ensuing civilian casualties.

They have committed a war crime by violating Article 28.

For a man so steeped in law as Mr. Dugard to be ignorant of these facts is simply incomprehensible.

More likely, the UN prism has skewed his position on the Israeli-Arab conflict, rendering his comments more political than analytical.

Mr. Dugard and the UN would better spend their time adhering to actual international law — even when dealing with Israel — so they can focus on the real problem here — the cynical use of "Palestinian" children as pawns in a deadly game.

Why were so many Arab youth among the mob that was marching on heavily armed Israeli forces in Rafiah Wednesday? Who are these people who would risk the lives of their precious children for the sake of an international photo op?

Why is the Palestinian Authority allowed to continue indoctrinating the next generation to seek out violence and death as the peak of glory?

These young minds don’t know any better. They will follow the path laid out for them by their elders, their teachers, their leaders.

So why are Palestinian Arab children being doomed to their deaths by their own people, instead of being taught to seek life, peace and coexistence?

And why is the world ignoring this?

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