Hamas Lawmaker Ahmed Bahar Urges International Court to Get Moving

Published yesterday (updated) 17/10/2009 21:40

Gaza – Ma'an –

A Hamas-affiliated member of Palestine's parliament, the Palestinian Legislative Council, urged on Saturday that the International Criminal Court prepare charges against Israeli leaders involved in the Gaza assault last winter.

The official, first deputy chairman Dr. Ahmed Bahar, said trials should begin domestically and abroad now that South African jurist Richard Goldstone's report has been endorsed by the UN Human Rights Council.

During a Hamas march from Gaza City's Palestine Square to the Legislative Council building, Bahar said the ICC's prosecutor, Luis Moreno-Ocampo, ought to open investigations into the allegations brought forth by the UN-backed court.

The Hamas official called the report's endorsement "a victory for the Palestinian people," and urged Arab, Islamic and African nations to ratify the report when it comes before the UN General Assembly.

He also thanked Arab, African, and nonaligned nations for their support in Geneva on Friday, as well as international bodies, institutions, and local communities who "stood by the Palestinian people.

Bahar hails endorsement of Goldstone’s report, calls for prosecuting culprits

[ 17/10/2009 - 03:37 PM ]

GAZA, (PIC)--

Dr. Ahmed Bahar, the first deputy speaker of the Palestinian legislative council (PLC), on Saturday hailed the UN human rights council’s endorsement of Goldstone’s report as an important step, appealing to all Arab, Muslim and non-aligned countries to work on bringing Israeli war criminals to international justice.

In a news conference, Dr. Bahar urged these countries to move on and table the human rights council’s resolution in the meeting of the UN General Assembly.

He also hailed the efforts made by human rights organizations which robustly insisted on tabling Goldstone’s report at the human rights council after it was postponed as a result of the reckless acts of the Palestinian Authority (PA).

In the same context, the families of war victims stated that the reactivation of Goldstone’s report at the UN human rights council and the latter's resolution to endorse the report would not have happened without the popular revolt in defense of the report and the efforts of the human rights organizations and the free people of the world.

They said the majority vote on the report is clear evidence that its postponement last time was a big crime aimed to waive the victims’ rights and acquitting Israel from its crimes, adding that if the report had been voted on from the beginning, it would have received a 33 vote majority instead of 25.

This came during a news conference held by the victims’ families on Saturday in Al-Fahkoura school, which witnessed one of the most horrific war crimes committed by Israel in northern Gaza Strip.

For its part, the Palestinian international campaign to end the siege welcomed the UN human rights resolution to endorse Goldstone’s report, calling for intensifying the efforts to pressure Israel to lift its unjust siege on Gaza.

The campaign stressed the need to take practical steps to end the suffering of Gaza people through opening all crossings before the movement of individuals and goods and enabling the citizens to rebuild what Israel destroyed during its war on the Strip.

HRW: Following UN vote, "all eyes are on Israel and Hamas"

Published yesterday (updated) 17/10/2009 21:39

Bethlehem - Ma'an -

The international NGO Human Rights Watch welcomed the endorsement of the Goldstone report at the UN Human Rights Council on Friday, "because the Goldstone report establishes the serious violations committed by both sides during Israel’s Operation Cast Lead in Gaza and presents a road map for accountability."

In a statement released following the vote in Geneva, HRW said it was pleased that "Virtually all governments recognized the seriousness of the Goldstone report and the credible allegations it contains. Practically all delegations called for investigations and emphasized the need for accountability. The US said that calls for accountability 'cannot be ignored or deflected.'"

Geneva director at HRW Julie de Rivero commented on the proceedings, saying, “Now all eyes are on Israel and Hamas to see whether they conduct credible domestic investigations within the next six months. If they fail, international prosecutions will be required.”