The New Dark Age

17 December, 2009

Dear Mr Miliband,

I wish to urge you to resist the Israeli government’s claims of immunity from universal jurisdiction regarding its war crimes against the Palestinian people. As a Jew concerned about the human rights of everyone, regardless of ethnicity or faith, I find suggestions that Israel should be held to lower standards than other perpetrators of war crimes indicative of Zionism’s perverse racism.

I commend to you a short discussion of the legal issues by Sir Geoffrey Bindman, a prominent lawyer and signatory of Jews for Justice for Palestinians, of which I am also a member. See this link:

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/sir-geoffrey-bindman-livni-has-no-right-to-claim-immunity-from-prosecution-1841992.html

Could you please explain to me the government’s position on the following points:

• The government has a duty under the Fourth Geneva Convention to ‘seek out and prosecute’ alleged war criminals. Under the Geneva Conventions Act 1957, the UK has universal jurisdiction to arrest and try suspected perpetrators of “grave breaches” of the Fourth Geneva Convention 1949 (IVCG). War criminals should be pursued – Britain must not become a ‘safe haven’.

• The judicial system is meant to be independent and the government’s role is not to intervene. If a judge believes there is sufficient evidence for an arrest warrant to be granted, it is irrelevant whether this embarrasses or causes problems for the British government.

• The Goldstone Report detailed war crimes and potential crimes against humanity committed by Israel in Gaza. It was shameful that the government abstained on the vote for the Report at the UN Human Rights Council and General Assembly.

• Instead of responding to pressure from the Israeli government to end the right to charge and prosecute war criminals, the government should immediately change its position – it should support international law and justice, and act itself to uphold the Fourth Geneva Convention.

• Britain cannot be a true and independent ‘partner’ for peace if its policies are one-sided, and it allows those responsible for war crimes against Palestinians to avoid justice.

• Tzipi Livni is just the latest in a list of Israelis who have come under scrutiny over allegations of war crimes. Our government should reflect on this, and change its foreign policy, including ending its arms trade with Israel . I have copied this correspondence to my Member of Parliament, Rt Hon Iain Duncan Smith. I look forward to your response.

Yours sincerely, Naomi Wimborne-Idrissi