Pro-Palestinian Kuwait looks at easing up on Israel

[barb162]

Pro-Palestinian Kuwait looks at easing up on Israel

By Hassan M. Fattah
New York Times News Service
Published October 5, 2005


Kuwaiti newspapers in recent days have floated the idea that the country could take steps to reduce hostility toward Israel as a means of helping the Palestinians, prompting a quiet debate about Kuwait's decades-old strategy of isolating Israel.

The discussion breaks long-held taboos and brushes at an emotionally explosive subject for Kuwaitis, who have long considered themselves among the standard-bearers for the Palestinian cause. But experts emphasize that it remains no more than a discussion at this point.

"After a long time, we have finally decided to leave the Palestinian cause to Palestinians, because it is they who are really concerned with this issue," Ahmed al-Jarallah, editor in chief of the English-language Arab Times, wrote in an editorial Sept. 22.

In order to prove that Arabs are seeking peace, he contended, the Arab world must no longer use Palestinians as a tool of their policies. Referring to recent decisions by Bahrain, Qatar and Tunisia, he said, "We Arabs have also reached a unanimous agreement to make peace with Israel as our strategic choice, before conducting negotiations with that country."

snip

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0510050151oct05,1,938143.story?coll=chi-newsnationworld-hed

[Behind the Aegis]

1. Finally, some good news!

Maybe the hate will subside, and normal relations can begin.

[Englander]

2. Good idea!!

Stop the hate, I say. Here's another example of good news,
and the hate that should stop...


"Last update - 12:57 06/10/2005

Court bans IDF use of Palestinians as 'shields'
By Yuval Yoaz, Haaretz Correspondent, and the Associated Press

It is illegal for the Israel Defense Forces to use Palestinian civilians as "human shields" in arrest raids, the High Court of Justice ruled Thursday.

Chief Justice Aharon Barak, ruling in response to petitions from the Association for Civil Rights in Israel and the Adallah human rights organization, said the practice violates international law.

"You cannot exploit the civilian population for the army's military needs, and you cannot force them to collaborate with the army," Barak said. "Based on this principle, we rule it illegal to use civilians as human shields, and we also rule it illegal to use civilians to pass military warnings from the army to those the army wants to arrest."

>snip

MK Effie Eitam (National Religious) said the justices "are binding the hands of the IDF, who stands against a terror without borders."

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/632440.html

[Behind the Aegis]

5. That is not good news..that is GREAT news!

Perhaps Hamas and IJ will follow suit!

[Englander]

7. Two points -

From Haaretz;

"The army's use of Palestinians to deliver warnings to wanted men about impending arrest operations is illegal, as it violates the principles of international law, the High Court of Justice ruled yesterday in response to petitions by seven human rights organizations.

The petitions were filed in May 2002, in response to Operation Defensive Shield. They were based on reports that the Israel Defense Forces had forced Palestinians to search houses that were thought to be booby-trapped and to enter houses where wanted men were thought to be hiding, in advance of the soldiers who sought to arrest them. Some of the reports also accused soldiers of using Palestinians as human shields against attacks on IDF forces.

In response, the IDF said that it had forbidden the use of Palestinians as human shields against attacks or as hostages, but did not rule out their use "in situations in which this aid would enable (the army) to refrain from military activity that could cause even greater damage to local residents, to soldiers and to property."

which could mean anything, it sounds like these abhorrent
tactics will continue...

The Idf is the army of a sovereign state; Hamas is not.

The Idf are bound by the rulings of the Israeli High Court of
Justice; Hamas are not.

The Idf is the army of a state that has signed the Geneva
Convention; Hamas is not.

On edit;

Did you read the comment by the MK Effie Eitam? That was the
example of the hate,that should stop...

[barb162]

6. "Stop the hate, I say"

Exactly

[barb162]

3. I really hope so

[Colorado Blue]

4. Good news! Thanks for posting this. eom