the Israeli military on the scene should have discovered the crime
But they have. The findings of the commission show that the massacre was known to the Israeli side.
Mr. Shamir erred by not taking action after being alerted by communications Minister Zippori.
There are quite detailed accounts of just how much the Israeli army knew of the massacre:
At about the same time or slightly earlier, at approximately 7:00 p.m., Lieutenant Elul, who was then serving as Chief of Bureau of the Divisional Commander, overheard another conversation that took place over the Phalangists' transmitter. According to Lt. Elul's testimony, while he was on the roof of the forward command post, next to the Phalangists' communications set, he heard a Phalangist officer from the force that had entered the camps tell Elie Hobeika (in Arabic) that there were 50 women and children, and what should he do. Elie Hobeika's reply over the radio was: "This is the last time you're going to ask me a question like that, you know exactly what to do;" and then raucous laughter broke out among the Phalangist personnel on the roof. Lieutenant Elul understood that what was involved was the murder of the women and children. According to his testimony, Brigadier General Yaron, who was also on the forward command post roof then, asked him what he had overheard on the radio; and after Lieutenant Elul told him the content of the conversation, Brigadier General Yaron went over to Hobeika and spoke with him in English for about five minutes (for Lt. Elul's testimony, see pp. 1209-1210a). Lt. Elul did not hear the conversation between Brigadier General Yaron and Hobeika.
Brigadier General Yaron, who was on the roof of the forward command post, received from Lt. Elul a report of what he had heard...
(...)
An additional report relating to the actions of the Phalangists in the camps vis-a-vis the civilians there came from liaison officer G. of the Phalangists. When he entered the dining room in the forward command post building at approximately 8:00 p.m., that liaison officer told various people that about 300 persons had been killed by the Phalangists, among them also civilians. He stated this in the presence of many I.D.F. officers who were there, including Brigadier General Yaron.
One may of course argue that Sharon knew nothing about this but and was picking his nose and reading a book in a locked room, but somehow I find that difficult to believe.
I meant credibility, not jurisdiction
Please explain, then. Why should the said Belgium court NOT be "credible"? Has it "lied" before and was caught?
I don't think an "abusive history" is a valid basis for placing oneself in the position of judging others
I still think you mean "jurisdiction" - as in, "a court in Belgium has no right to judge Sharon".
Have you read the article I posted? Your concerns were addressed, with several precedents. If you have objections to the reasoning in that article, I would be interested in hearing them. |
