Maguire calls for International Criminal Tribunal for Israel

international | crime and justice | press release

Wednesday January 07, 2009 00:34

by Mairead Maguire - Peace People

Adds her voice to many such calls

On 4 January 2009, Mairead Corrigan Maguire said Israel has carried out seven consecutive days of bombing of Gaza, killing over 600. including many women and children, injuring over 2500, destroying mosques, hospitals and homes, and are guilty of war crimes. An ICTI is called for.

PRESS RELEASE:
FOR IMMEDIATE DISTRIBUTION

NOBEL PEACE LAUREATE, MAIREAD MAGUIRE SUPPORTS CALLS FOR INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL TRIBUNAL FOR ISRAELI WAR CRIMES.

Nobel Peace Laureate, Mairead Maguire has today written to the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon and Father Miguel D’Escoto President of United Nations General Assembly adding her voice to the many calls from International Jurists, Human Rights Organizations and individuals, for the UN General Assembly to seriously consider establishing an International Criminal Tribunal for Israel (ICTI) in view of the ongoing Israeli atrocities against the people of Gaza and Palestine.

An ICTI can be established by the UN General Assembly as a ‘subsidiary organ’ under article 22 of the UN Charter. Article 22 of the UN Charter states the UN General Assembly may establish such subsidiary organs as it deems necessary for the performance of its functions. The purpose of the ICTI would be to investigate and prosecute suspected Israeli war criminals for offences against the Palestinian people.

Maguire said:

“In November 2008 I visited Gaza and was shocked at the suffering of the people of Gaza, being under ‘seige’ as they are for over two years. This collective punishment by the Israeli Government, has lead to a great humanitarian crisis. Collective punishment of the civilian community by the Israeli Government breaks the Geneva Convention, is illegal and is a war crime and crime against humanity.

Instead of protecting the civilian community of Gaza and relieving their suffering by lifting the ‘siege’, the Israeli military have carried out 7 days consecutive bombardment of civilians, by sea and air. Dropping Israeli bombs from the air and sea on unarmed civilians, many women and children, destroying mosques, hospitals, and homes, and infrastructure, is illegal and constitutes war crimes. The deaths of people in Gaza is now over 600 with over 2,500 people injured – many women and children. The infrastructure of Gaza has been destroyed, and the people cut off from the world – including journalists, Humanitarian workers, locked out of Gaza, and unable to go to the aid of the people.

The UN must help uphold Human Rights and Justice for the Palestinian People, by seriously considering establishing an International Criminal Tribunal for Israel, (ICTI) in order that the Israeli Government be held accountable for war crimes.”

Mairead Maguire (Nobel Peace Laureate) www.peacepeople.com
4th January, 2009.
ENDS
(Tel: 44 (0)28 90 663465 OR 44 048 90 663465)