Lord Goldsmith Considers War Crimes Charges Against Israeli Soldiers

[Don Rizzle]

Goldsmith to examine Gaza deaths
The attorney general is visiting Israel to seek evidence as he considers bringing charges against two Israeli soldiers who killed two Britons.
James Miller, 34, a Devon film-maker and Tom Hurndall, 22, a London peace activist, were shot dead in separate incidents by soldiers in Gaza in 2003.

Relatives of the men have asked Lord Goldsmith QC to prosecute for war crimes under the Geneva Convention.

During his trip he will meet Israeli ministers and military officials.

Israeli military prosecutors have insisted that further prosecutions will only take place if fresh evidence emerges.

But Lord Goldsmith said he believed the Israeli authorities would give him their full cooperation.

He said while in Israel he would be considering "whether there ought to be prosecutions here in either of these cases".

"I will carefully consider this without any preconceptions," he said.

"This is not about raising expectations about whether anything is going to happen one way or another."

Lord Goldsmith is hoping to meet Israeli Attorney General Meni Mazuz, Minister of Defence Amir Peretz and Minister of Justice Haim Ramon.

He is also seeking an appointment with the country's military advocate general, Brigadier Avichai Mendelblitt.

Unlawful

Mr Hurndall was moving children away from the army in the Palestinian town of Rafah when he was shot in April 2003.

Mr Miller was gunned down only a mile away three weeks later as he was making a film about Palestinian children.


Israeli Defence Force (IDF) soldier Sergeant Taysir Hayb is serving an eight-year sentence for the manslaughter of Mr Hurndall but so far no one has been convicted of shooting Mr Miller.

Last month an inquest jury in London decided Mr Miller's shooting was unlawful and that the father-of-two had been murdered.

During the inquest Mr Miller's widow Sophy named the soldier who shot her husband as First Lieutenant Heib, from the Bedouin Desert Reconnaissance Battalion.

It was said he had been due to face a disciplinary hearing, but was acquitted by the head of the army's Southern Command.

Mrs Miller has requested for all the evidence from the military police investigation to be released.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/uk/5003160.stm

Published: 2006/05/21 23:28:17 GMT

[J Bananas]

there's someone actually named Lord Goldsmith? awesome

[Don Rizzle]

goldsmith is his surname, lord is his title

[J Bananas]

anyways, yeah there definetly needs to be charges brought up

Mr Hurndall was moving children away from the army in the Palestinian town of Rafah when he was shot in April 2003.

what the fuck?!?

[J @ M @ L]

anyways, yeah there definetly needs to be charges brought up

Mr Hurndall was moving children away from the army in the Palestinian town of Rafah when he was shot in April 2003.

what the fuck?!?

It's actually quite common for Israeli soldiers to shoot peace activists. Once they even went as far as bulldozing over one.

[King Tech Quadafi]

of course...i mean its not like theres any sense of accountability or responsibility

IDF Uniform= Immunity

[I TO DA GEEZY]

IDF Uniform= Immunity

I agree, though this could be applied to uniforms of other armies as well, especially at times of war.

[Don Rizzle]

so plaestinian freedom fighters should have immunity?

[I TO DA GEEZY]

so plaestinian freedom fighters should have immunity?

I don't know whether they should have it, that's a different discussion, though I know they have it as far as P.A "laws" are concerned.

[J @ M @ L]

so plaestinian freedom fighters should have immunity?

I don't know whether they should have it, that's a different discussion, though I know they have it as far as P.A "laws" are concerned.

LOL... of course it is...