Watch What You Say!
Israeli Foreign Ministry Warns of War-Crime Lawsuits
The Israeli Foreign Ministry has warned its civil servants and military officers to watch what they say about the Lebanese and Palestinian conflicts, fearing some talk could invite war crimes lawsuits.
A ministry memorandum issued to Israel's military and other government agencies urges officials to avoid belligerent remarks that could potentially be used to back up allegations they were complicit in excessive use of force in Lebanon or Gaza.
The type of language now considered off-limits includes 'crushing' the enemy, and 'cleansing', 'levelling', or 'wiping out' suspected enemy emplacements," a political source who saw the memo told Reuters.
The source quoted the memo as censuring one official who called for Israel to respond to Hezbollah rockets strikes against the strategic port city of Haifa during the 34-day war by "getting rid of a village in Lebanon".
Three Moroccan lawyers said last month they were suing Israeli Defence Minister Amir Peretz over the recent offensives in Lebanon and Gaza.
Israel Radio reported that a Danish lawmaker tried to have Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni detained and prosecuted during a recent visit to Copenhagen. The lawmaker's request for an arrest warrant was turned down by Danish prosecutors, the radio said.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry has warned its civil servants and military officers to watch what they say about the Lebanese and Palestinian conflicts, fearing some talk could invite war crimes lawsuits.
A ministry memorandum issued to Israel's military and other government agencies urges officials to avoid belligerent remarks that could potentially be used to back up allegations they were complicit in excessive use of force in Lebanon or Gaza.
The type of language now considered off-limits includes 'crushing' the enemy, and 'cleansing', 'levelling', or 'wiping out' suspected enemy emplacements," a political source who saw the memo told Reuters.
The source quoted the memo as censuring one official who called for Israel to respond to Hezbollah rockets strikes against the strategic port city of Haifa during the 34-day war by "getting rid of a village in Lebanon".
Three Moroccan lawyers said last month they were suing Israeli Defence Minister Amir Peretz over the recent offensives in Lebanon and Gaza.
Israel Radio reported that a Danish lawmaker tried to have Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni detained and prosecuted during a recent visit to Copenhagen. The lawmaker's request for an arrest warrant was turned down by Danish prosecutors, the radio said.
posted by Indicted Plagiarist | 9:22 PM
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