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International force for Gaza?

Anglosphere

The international force in Lebanon that will keep Israel safe by not disarming Hezbollah might be expanded to Gaza:

If the planned multinational force in Lebanon succeeds, it might be possible to create a similar force for the Gaza Strip, Italian Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema said in an interview with Haaretz.

Even more than usual, I'm skeptical. This international force will not actually be able to use force, despite the obvious lessons from the Srebrenica massacre. Therefore Hezbollah (and Hamas) will have to lay down arms voluntarily. Time to smirk, people. See, if a voluntary disarmament were even a remote possibility, we wouldn't need an international force in the first place. And indeed we could suffice with the international farce that is currently underway. UNIFIL sounds a lot like "unfulfilled" and it's beocming clear why.

By the way, Hezbollah isn't even considered a terrorist organisation by former Communist Party senior D'Alema:

Hezbollah is not considered a terrorist group by the European Union, nor in my personal view.

Hezbollah actually is classified as such by the United States, Canada, Israel, United Kingdom, Netherlands and Australia. The EU does recognise "clear evidence" of "terrorist activities by Hezbollah" and for good reason. Hezbollah Secretary-General has actually stated: "in occupied Palestine there is no difference between a soldier and a civilian, for they are all invaders, occupiers and usurpers of the land". As long as that mentality prevails, not even disarmament will help obtain peace. Likewise, without the explicit acceptance of the state Israel, there will always be war, and UNIFIL might as well be named UNIFAIL.

Palestinian war crimes

Anglosphere

What is your first impression of Israel going to be from this headline? HUSBAND, HIS WIFE AND THEIR SEVEN CHILDREN KILLED BY ISRAELI SHELLS IN GAZA. Nasty Israel, right?

Dr. Al Saqqa identified the killed family members as Nabil Abu Salmiya, his wife Salwa, both 39, and their seven children were identified as Nasrallah, Basima, 16, Sumayya, 12, Huda, 8, Eman, 11, Aya, 7, and Yahia, 13.

Tragedy, I can't deny that.

None of the killed and injured residents is affiliated with any resistance group.

Army claimed targeting a senior leader of Hamas' armed wing, Mohammad Deif, and several leaders of the Al Qassam Brigades, several leaders of Hamas' armed wing were present at the targeted house, according to army sources.

The army added that Deif was at the house of Abu Salmiya, one of the leaders of the Hamas movement.

Meanwhile, Abu Obeida, media spokesperson of the brigades, said that Deif was unharmed in the attack.

Unharmed. Why did he not say he was not present?

Abu Obaida, spokesman of Al-Qassam brigade, said Deif and Al-Ghandour are safe and were not harmed and vowed a painful revenge.

Safe. Why even bother to mention that when they were not present, had been or were planning to?

The Israeli Air Force carried out a similar attack on a house in Gaza in June 2002, killing Hamas operative Salah Shihadeh and 17 other civilians including elders, women and children.

After bombarding the house, which was leveled to the ground, eyewitnesses said the same warplane fired a missile at a car in an attempt to kill Raed Sa'ad, another Qassam brigade operative.

Sa'ad managed to jump out of the car before it was hit by the missile, witnesses said.

Wow, these brigade operatives sure spend a lot of time in houses with elders, women and children. Not exactly recommended by the Fourth Geneva Convention:

The Fourth Geneva Convention forbids the use of any civilian as a shield: "The presence of a protected person may not be used to render certain points or areas immune from military operations." (Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, August 12, 1949, 6 U.S.T. 3516, 75 U.N.T.S. 287, art. 28)

Sure, one can put "Israel" in the headline, but wouldn't someone who actually understands the most significant facts from the article make one along the lines of "Hamas commits war crime"? Surely such meetings could take place without so many civilians? Even assuming all these leaders where buddies, it's hardly the time for a neighbourhood BBQ when you're job descriptions are "war and death to Israel". There is a defensive responsibility for preventing civilian harm as well, and it is clear Hamas does not care much about taking that responsibility.

Update: Hezbollah too uses human shields. Robert McClelland concludes Israel is terrorist, but in this case I clearly think the onus is on Hezbollah for failing to protect citizens by hiding amongst them, which is a war crime.

Divided by harmonisation

European Union

United in diversity? Romano Prodi doesn't think so: a core group of
Euro nations should harmonise even more rapidly, leaving out the UK and.. the Netherlands?

“We need a strong relationship not just with France and Germany but also with the so-called group of six, countries like Belgium and Luxembourg — but not the Netherlands,” Prodi said.

Asked if this group would include Britain, he replied: “I believe it is difficult to include it among countries which are pushing for more integration. Britain has decided not to hold a referendum on Europe so it has not approved the European position. Evidently it believes in a policy which is more independent of the EU.”

Prodi has already claimed a translation error and assures that the Dutch would definitely be part of the European dream. I don't quite understand why we would even want to be, considering Italy's commemerative constitution coin issued after we voted no. Or Prodi's warm feelings for Hamas. That's not the kind of European leadership I'd like to harmonise with.

Hamas On-line

European Union

The European Union considers Hamas a terrorist organization and providing services for it is illegal. But that doesn't prevent the Hamas Online website from being hosted as free service by 357Hosting in Nieuwegein, the Netherlands. Awkward.

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