16 I ORLD NEWSW Passion Islam I November 2009
Israel push to change laws of war
Israel’s prime minister has instructed
his government to draw up plans for
a “world wide campaign” to lobby for
changes in the international laws of
war.
The order from Binyamin Netanyahu
follows a special cabinet meeting to
discuss Israel’s response to the UN’s
Goldstone report, which condemned
Israel’s actions during the 22-day war
on Gaza earlier this year.
The meeting also called for the
formation of a special committee
to deal with the international legal
consequences of the report and the
prospect Israeli officials could face war
crimes trials abroad.
The Israeli government contends
international law needs to be amended
in order to fight global terrorism.
“The prime minister instructed the
Richard Goldstone himself has
relevant government bodies to examine
“terrorising and targeting” civilians.
faced a storm of personal attacks inside
a worldwide campaign to amend the
Goldstone recommended that the
Israel since the report’s publication.
international laws of war to adapt them
conclusions of the report be forwarded
But he urged the Israeli government
to the spread of global terrorism,”
to the prosecutor at the International
to comply with calls for a full investigation
Netanyahu’s office said in a statement.
Criminal Court at The Hague if the
into the war, rejecting suggestions that
It added that the cabinet had also
two sides fail to conduct credible
the report risked sinking the stalled
instructed justice ministry officials
investigations into the conflict within six
Middle East peace process.
to form a committee to deal with months.
“It’s a shallow, utterly false
the prospect of “legal proceedings The UN Human Rights Council
allegation,” Goldstone said during a
abroad against the state of Israel or its (UNHRC) endorsed the report, but meeting with a group of rabbis in the
citizens”. Netanyahu has promised that it will be United States.
The UN-backed Goldstone report vetoed at the UN General Assembly. “What peace process are they
– compiled by South African jurist Israel has previously called the talking about? There isn’t one.”
Richard Goldstone - accuses Israel report unbalanced, while Netanyahu About 1,400 Palestinians – the
and Hamas of committing war crimes has promised a lengthy fight to majority of them civilians were killed
during last winter’s war in Gaza, but “delegitimise” the findings by the UN during Israel’s three-week war on Gaza
is more critical of Israeli troops for
commission.
between December and January.
Obama offers millions in Muslim technology fund
The White House highlighted a new in areas like technology, education, and that under-investment was rife in
multi-million-dollar technology fund telecoms, media, business services many Muslim nations.
for Muslim nations, following a pledge and clean technology, the White As well as the fund, Obama
made by President Barack Obama in House said. also said he will host a summit on
his landmark speech to the Islamic OPIC said sample projects entrepreneurship this year to deepen
world. could help foster the development ties between business leaders
The White House said the of new computer technology or in the United States and Muslim
U.S. Overseas Private Investment telecommunications businesses, or communities around the world.
Corporation (OPIC) had issued a widen access to broadband Internet In his speech on June 4, Obama
call for proposals for the fund, which services. vowed to forge a “new beginning”
will provide financing of between 25 Proposals must be submitted by for Islam and America, promising
and 150 million dollars for selected the end of November, and managers to purge years of “suspicion and
projects and funds. of funds that make a final short list will discord.”
The Global Technology and make presentations in Washington in In what may be one of the defining
Innovation Fund will “catalyze and January. moments of his presidency, Obama
facilitate private sector investments” Final selections will be announced laid out a new blueprint for U.S.
throughout Asia, the Middle East and next June. Middle East policy, pledged to end
Africa, the White House said in a In his speech to the Muslim world mistrust, forge a state for Palestinians
statement. in Cairo last June, Obama argued and defuse a nuclear showdown with
Eligible projects would advance that “education and innovation will Iran.
economic opportunity and create jobs be the currency of the 21st century” www.passionislam.com
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