Officials said fearing wave of war crimes suits over Lebanon

[Scurrilous]

<snip>

"The Foreign Ministry fears a wave of lawsuits accusing Israeli military and governmental officials of war crimes, Army Radio said Monday, adding that a report prepared by the ministry's chief legal advisor warns officials against inflammatory statements in connection with the recent war, saying that their words could later be used against them in foreign lawsuits or indictments for alleging them to be war criminals.

In the past, a number of IDF generals have deferred visits to Europe, for fear of arrest over allegations of war crimes in connection with the Intifada.

Cabinet Minister Yitzhak Herzog, currently traveling in Finland, said Monday that international conventions granted government officials immunity from prosecution, but that the problem was "much more complicated" with respect to IDF officers, especially retired officers.

"There is no question that there is an effort by organizations of various kinds to harm, in particular, officers and commanders. This certainly doesn't touch the governmental echelon, but this takes nothing away from the seriousness of the problem."

According to Herzog, after the Intifada, Israel approved "an envelope of legal defense to senior officials and officers, and I believe that the outline that the Foreign Ministry is proposing for many of these issues, is a correct one."

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[Sherman A1]

1. This adds a twist to the issues

It will be interesting to see how this potentiall pans out.

[IntiRaymi]

2. Why is it so difficult for these thugs to recognize basic principles?

What is so mysterious about finding themselves legally liable for abuses in Palestine and Lebanon?
My opinion is that these 'gentlemen' should be thrown in prison.