[Midden-Oosten] Russell Tribunal calls on International Criminal Court to investigate Israeli crimes

[Boyd Noorda (privé-adres: zie sociamedia.nl)]

RToP calls on International Criminal Court to investigate Israeli 
crimes

Brussels, March 17th 2013 - The Russell Tribunal on Palestine ends 
its 4-year examination of third party complicity in Israeli 
violations of International Law.

The Tribunal concludes that it will support all initiatives from 
civil society and international organisations aimed at bringing 
Israel in front of the International Criminal Court. It calls for 
the ICC to recognise Palestinian jurisdiction and for the 
organisation of a special session of the United Nations General 
Assembly on Israeli Apartheid.

Other key Recommendations issued by the Tribunal include:

A reconstitution of the United Nations Special Committee on 
Apartheid Further criminal investigations of corporations aiding and 
abetting Israeli violations such as the police raid on the Dutch 
construction equipment company Riwal [1] The establishment of an 
international committee of former Political Prisoners to campaign on 
Prisoner issues To support civil society in using the tribunal´s 
findings to undertake direct actions aimed at confronting state, 
institutional and corporate complicity with Israel´s crimes.      

For a full list of recommendations see: 
http://www.russelltribunalonpalestine.com/en/sessions/final-session/
short-findings-of-the-final-session

Jury member Pink Floyd´s Roger Waters said: "The Russell Tribunal is 
a glimmering light at the end of the tunnel. If you think that what 
it says is wrong, go to Palestine, go to the refugee camps and judge 
for yourself. Until then, you´re only speaking of your own 
prejudices. I feel I can speak because I have witnessed the horror 
of Israeli Apartheid, I am speaking from personal experience".

He added: "Many artists that I am in contact with want to speak out 
and would like to honour the Palestinian call for a cultural Boycott 
of Israel but are terrified of doing so. They must be braver. We 
have won the argument and now we, civil society, have to force 
States, institutions and international organisations to take 
action".

Waters has written an open letter to international musicians and 
Shuki Weiss - Israel's premier music promoter. The letter encourages 
musicians to respect the Palestinian and Israeli calls for Boycott, 
Divestment and Sanctions against Israel (2)

Civil rights activist Angela Davis, also a member of the jury, said: 
"As we originally drew inspiration from English philosopher Bertrand 
Russell, we now follow in the footsteps of the late Stéphane Hessel, 
who combined resistance with integrity, solidarity and advocacy. We 
have all become advocates for Palestinian and universal human rights 
from the grassroots to the highest levels".

Pierre Galland, General Co-ordinator of the RToP said:
"This closing session does not represent the end of our activities, 
but a new beginning. In the future, the people´s court will work to 
check that its recommendations and conclusions are integrated into 
advocacy, activism and legal claims".

Fadwa Barghouti echoed the words of her husband Parliamentarian 
Marwan Barghouti, writing from prison where he is serving five life 
sentences for resisting Occupation: "I salute the fighter, the 
diplomat, the writer, who is supporting our struggle. And those 
rising up in the Arab world against tyranny - their dream has filled 
us with hope. The Russell Tribunal is a key tool in supporting is in 
reaching our goal of Justice and Peace based on International Law".

The 'Peoples' Tribunal', in its four years of activities, examined 
third party complicity in violations of Palestinian human rights 
under international law. Under scrutiny were the United Nations and 
American veto power, corporate complicity, European Union collusion, 
and the Crime of Apartheid, with sessions taking place in New York 
City, London, Barcelona and Cape Town.  

A comprehensive body of evidence spanning four years of enquiry 
included testimony from the World over, from barristers, 
ambassadors, and civil servants to Human Rights workers, farmers, 
factory labourers and poets. (3)  

Jury Members have included, among others, American Indian Movement 
founder Denis Banks, Former anti-apartheid resistance fighter and 
government minister Ronald Kasrils and Mairead Maguire, Irish Nobel 
Laureate.  

British Queen's Counsel, Professor and Barrister Michael Mansfield 
was among the wide array of legal experts for the Tribunal. He said: 
"The tribunal as an initiative may be at an end but our 
international legal and civil society co-operation will continue. 
Tribunal Patron Stephane Hessel would want us to continue until 
Self-Determination is achieved for the Palestinian People - we will 
follow his example and his legacy shall live on in our ongoing work 
for justice for the Palestinians".  

Notes to editors
 
[1] 
http://electronicintifada.net/content/dutch-company-raided-over-invo
lvement-occupation/9076
(2) http://www.bdsmovement.net/ and http://boycottisrael.info/
(3) Tribunal witnesses have included: Archbishop Desmond Tutu, 
world-known philosopher and historian Noam Chomsky, Nobel Prize 
nominee Jeff Halper of the Israeli Committee Against Home 
Demolitions, the director of the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights 
Raji Sourani, and Cindy Corrie, mother of American peace activist 
Rachel Corrie who was bulldozed to death by the Israel Army 10 years 
ago.
 
For further information
http://www.russelltribunalonpalestine.com/en/press-corner
Press conference available at http://www.youtube.com/TribunalRussell