The Arab Center for Independence of the Judiciary and the Legal Profession (ACIJLP) expresses its strong condemnation for the crimes done by the Israeli military machine against the unarmed Palestinian citizens; as these crimes represent serious violations of the Geneva Conventions.
The Center condemns these crimes that are, at the lowest estimates, regarded as war crimes in accordance with the relevant international conventions including the Fourth Geneva Convention on the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War (dated August 12th 1949). In addition to Article VIII of Rome Statute establishing the International Criminal Court and which define war crimes as “Gross violations of the Geneva Conventions, which include any of the following acts against persons and their properties protected by the relevant Geneva Convention: 1, A-1 murder .. B4 intentionally launching an attack in the knowledge that such attack will cause collateral damage of life or injury to civilians or cause civil damage…
The center believes that these crimes against the unarmed civilians in the Gaza Strip – like broad and systematic military attack against civilians since yesterday (27/12/2008) and the siege – will necessarily force the civilians in Gaza Strip to live in conditions that lead to their destruction in the case of criminal intent. This represents crime of genocide in accordance with Article VI, paragraph (c) of the Rome Status establishing the International Criminal Court.
While the Center condemns these grave violations and the Israeli war crimes, it calls on the Secretary-General of the United Nations to issue a decision to form an international commission of inquiry. Furthermore, to submit a request to the Security Council to refer the crimes that are happening and happened in Gaza to the International Criminal Court, along the lines of what happened in the case of Darfur, so that the perpetrators do not escape with impunity.
The Center also calls upon the Palestinian human rights organizations, particularly those operating in the Gaza Strip, to document these crimes quickly and to count victims in addition to collect information on the battalions and the Israeli military commanders, who are involved in this attack and these crimes. Furthermore, the center calls upon them to provide such information to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, if the Israeli authorities obstruct the means of prosecuting those involved in these crimes.
