Switzerland: Israel Breaking Int'l Law By Razing Palestinian Homes

[Purveyor]

Switzerland accused Israel on Thursday of wantonly destroying Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem and near Ramallah in violation of the Geneva Conventions' rules on military occupation.

The Swiss Foreign Ministry demanded that Israel immediately halt the demolitions, which Israel has said are aimed at removing illegally constructed shacks.

An Israeli Embassy spokeswoman in the Swiss capital of Bern said the decision to remove the structures was not an arbitrary decision, but was sanctioned by law. "This demolition of houses was done under a court order," embassy spokeswoman Shlomit Sufa said Thursday.

Switzerland - as the guardian of the Geneva Conventions - can call meetings of the treaty's signatories if it finds problems with its implementation, but does not have any special powers to enforce the document.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Lars Knuchel said the demolitions violated the 1949 Geneva Conventions, regarded as the cornerstone of international law on the obligations of warring and occupying powers. The Fourth Convention states that occupying powers must respect the property of civilian populations under their control.

MORE...

HAARETZ/AP: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1037210.html

[amdezurik]

1. again...

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

2. There must be some mistake here...

...Israel would never do something like that -- lying Swiss bastards can't be trusted.

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

3. Why do the Swiss have to talk about everything...

...all the time? They're s'posed to be making clocks and cheese and chocolates and stuff -- mind your own business Swiss troublemakers!!!!