America needs to be fair in imposing international law

By Fadi Kiblawi

Daily Editorial Page Writer

The radio blared, "The people are dying here! We hear the voice of death. Do you understand? We hear the voice of death!" Minutes passed before the systematic explosions from the shelling ceased. The result, over 100 defenseless and innocent refugees killed at the United Nations camp at Qana, Lebanon. Who drew that "voice of death" on that April afternoon? Israel murdered the civilians in a blatant act of inhumanity and violation of international law.

Now, as we enter into the new millennium, war in the Middle East persists. Lately, there seems to be a regression, rather than progression, in the peace process. The conflict is not one based on Muslims and Christians versus Jews; rather it is a conflict of humanity against inhumanity. It is unfortunate that the past 53 years, inhumanity has been winning. The United States needs to take a more aggressive stance in compliance with preceding international standards against the state of Israel in order for there to be peace.

The dilemmas in the proposed peace agreement presented by former President Bill Clinton to Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and the Palestinians come with resolutions on the right of return of the Palestinians and the occupation of East Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza. During the creation of the Israeli state in 1948, many Palestinians were driven from their homes by the advancing Jewish forces. The number estimated by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency is 957,000. Approximately one third fled to the West Bank, another third to the Gaza strip and the rest to Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. During the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, another 300,000 Palestinians were displaced, many for the second time, as Israel expanded its territory illegally. Today the number of Palestinian refugees has reached over 5 million. Their assertion for their right to return home are based on common sense, morality, humanity and (if that's not enough) international law and countless UN resolutions.

UN resolution 194, created in December 1948 and reaffirmed 40 times since then, clearly states that the Palestinian "refugees wishing to return to their homes and live at peace with their neighbors should be permitted to do so at the earliest practical date." Israel entered the United Nations agreeing to accept this resolution but has yet to do so. UN resolution 242, created after the 1967 colonization, demands the "withdrawal of Israeli forces from territories occupied in the recent conflict." Article 27 of the Geneva Accords states, "Persons (under control of an occupying power) shall at all times be humanely treated and shall be protected against all acts of violence or threats thereof." While Israel claims that they only use excessive force when their soldiers' lives (soldiers illegally occupying Palestinian land) are in danger, then why are 240,000 Palestinians injured from bullet wounds, 58 percent under the age of 18 (1997)? There is no doubt that Israel uses excessive force on non-Jews, as this is documented by every international human rights organization including Amnesty International and B'Tselem (an Israeli organization). Furthermore, Amnesty and B'Tselem annually report on the arrests without being charged, torture and demolition of houses of Christians and Muslims in both Israel and the Occupied Territory. Article 49 of the fourth Geneva Convention clearly states, "The Occupying Power shall not deport or transfer parts of its own civilian population into the territory it occupies." Therefore, Israel's settlements in the Occupied Territory including East Jerusalem are in clear violation of international law.

Presently, over one-third of U.S. foreign aid (more than $4 billion) goes to Israel, even though they comprise less than .001 percent of the world's population and have one of the world's highest per capita incomes. Furthermore, how can we forget the 34 brave American men who lost their lives in the USS Liberty naval vessel from an attack by the armed forces of Israel or Jonathon Pollard, the Israeli spy caught in one of the worst cases of espionage in U.S. history. How many of you are comfortable with the fact that your tax dollars are funding the killing of innocent human beings whose only crime was not being Jewish?

All of these U.N. resolutions and accords are not made to piss people off. They are based on human rights and morals. Their conditions are made so fairness and justice win over greed and ignorance. Therefore, peace can easily be achieved in the Middle East and the United States holds the key. There are no tricks, no stipulations, just justice. Justice calls for Israel to observe international law. In both Iraq and Yugoslavia, the U.S. defended their bombings and economic sanctions with arguments that both violated international law. Easy solution: Withdraw all funds to Israel and impose economic sanctions until they observe international laws that are based on humanity: The immediate return of all Palestinians to their homes that they were forced to leave in 1948, and the end of the occupation of East Jerusalem, the West Bank and the Gaza strip.