Iran sets up court for Gaza criminals, Rabbis approve killings

Tue, 30 Dec 2008 15:40:53 GMT  Tehran has set up a criminal court to bring to trial the perpetrators of the Gaza Strip offensive, Iranian judiciary spokesman says.
"Under the articles 8 and 146 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, all countries are legally authorized to investigate the Gaza crimes as Israel has jeopardized peace and committed genocide in the coastal region," Alireza Jamshidi told reporters on Tuesday.
"The court is in a special branch in Tehran and entrusted with the task of dealing with the executors, planners and officials of this (Israeli) regime who have committed crimes," Jamshidi continued. Iran's Judiciary spokesman added that the Islamic Republic, as a signatory to the convention, will send letters to the Judiciary chiefs of Muslim countries, demanding their cooperation with the court in Tehran. The Islamic Republic has also been stepping up efforts to halt the Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip. Israel began its assault on Gaza on Saturday to take out targets linked to the democratically-elected Hamas government. At least 385 Palestinians have been killed and over 1,800 others have been injured so far. Hamas responded by firing mortar shells and rockets into the Israeli occupied territories. Six Israelis have been killed and 16 others have been injured since Saturday. Israel is amassing thousands of troops along the border with the Gaza Strip -- a move which is interpreted as preparation for a ground assault into the region. "Protected persons may in no circumstances renounce in part or in entirety the rights secured to them by the present Convention," Article 8 of the convention reads. Article 146 obligates High Contracting Parties to the Convention to "search for persons alleged to have committed or to have ordered to be committed" grave breaches, and to bring such persons before its own courts.
Jamshidi continued that Palestinians could file petitions against Israel's crimes and send them to the court in Tehran for further proceedings. Moreover, Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki on Tuesday urged the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) to hold an emergency session on the Gaza crisis. NAT/AR/SME. Original Source at PressTV 

Four leading Israeli rabbis have sanctioned the murder of civilian population in the Gaza Strip amid the Israeli onslaught on the region. "When a population living near a Jewish town sends bombs at the Jewish town with the purpose of killing and destroying Jewish lives there, it is permitted, according to Jewish Law, to fire shells and bombs at the firing sites, even if they are populated by civilians," read a ruling issued by Rabbi Yaakov Yosef, Rabbi Dov Lior, Rabbi Shalom Dov Wolpe and Rabbi Meir Mazuz. The four added that a warning should be issued prior to any attacks; however, they reiterated that the army's response to rocket or mortar fires may be immediate "even if there is no time for a warning."  The rabbis argued that the army should announce that it would bomb any civilian community from which a rocket is fired to force the local residents into confronting those who fire rockets or mortars at Israeli targets.  Rabbi Mazuz is a member of the Shas Council of Torah Sages.  The ruling seems to give a free hand to Israeli commanders to attack Gaza's civilian population and persuade those troops who have reservations to kill civilians due to humanitarian considerations. SB/DA. Original souce at PressTV