Hezbollah fighters in Israeli court

[Scurrilous]

<snip>

"Three Hezbollah fighters are to face trial in an Israeli criminal court charged with murder and membership of a terrorist organisation.

Israeli state prosecutors indicted the men

According to Israeli justice ministry officials, the men were captured during an army offensive in southern Lebanon after Hezbollah seized two Israeli soldiers on July 12.

Mahmud Ali Sulaiman, Muhammad Sarur, and Mahir Qurani, appeared before a civil court in the northern Israeli town of Nazareth and will not face a military tribunal. Using the criminal trial is seen as part of Israel's refusal to recognise Hezbollah as a legitimate fighting force.

Micky Rosenfeld, a police spokeman, said the men were accused of having trained in Iran, and Sulaiman was charged with taking part in the cross-border attack."

more

[ShortnFiery]

1. Wow, it must be like giving speeding tickets at the Indianapolis 500?

What military or para-military organization does not Kill and/or Murder? And isn't any enemy considered "terrorists" or "state sponsored terrorists" to "the other."

The "Terrorists" are the new "Communists" - second verse, same as the first.

In PRESENT times, it's much preferable to be the Most Powerful Nation in this "Since the beginning of Time" feud. :shrug:

[breakaleg]

2. Exactly! I couldn't have phrased it better.

[Poll_Blind]

3. Some terrorists (**COUGH** Irgun) are better than others in Israeli eyes.

PB

[bemildred]

4. It's serious actually.

It's a propaganda move, the intent it to cast them as criminals, not legitimate defenders of their country, and so to de-legitimize them and their cause. It's a show trial; what happens to them personally is of course of no importance.

[The Magistrate]

5. Exactly, My Friend

And not a bad thing, under the circumstances, either.

[bemildred]

6. Well, that would be an opinion Sir.

"Bad for whom?" you might say. And there is a certain matter of inconsistency here, calling it a war on the one hand, which they did, and then treating captured enemies as though they were felons for propaganda purposes.

[The Magistrate]

7. Inconsistencies, Sir, Indeed Abound

It is hard to see how a Lebanese national on Lebanese soil can really commit a crime against Israeli law, though if they actually have evidence one of these people participated in the attack on the patrol that commenced this, he would have doubtless broken some Israeli law in clear Israeli jurisdiction. If they are prisoners of war, on the other hand, than they simply sit in cells, with no resason required but their being in the army's hands, until there is peace between Israel and Hezbollah, which we may safely state will be a long time coming, unless there is an exchange of prisoners, which is also not a good bet in the short term.

There may well be some benefit to the show trials, from the Israeli point of view. It sounds like they are going to make a serious attempt to demonstrate Iranian influence and complicity. The Israeli public will doubtless enjoy the headlines.

[bemildred]

8. Perhaps a negotiating strategy.

Or posturing for the home market. Here is a Lebanese piece on the same subject:

Israel on Monday charged three Hizbullah fighters arrested in Lebanon during the recent war with murder for involvement in deadly attacks on soldiers. In an indictment police submitted to the district court in the northern town of Nazareth, the three were charged with murder, attempted murder and membership in an enemy organization, police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said.

A fourth Hizbullah member arrested during the war yet to be charged, Rosenfeld said.

Note the number 4. You remember I was wondering a while ago where the prisoners were. Here we have an admitted total of 4. Seems smallish, but hard to be sure.

---

Asked whether Hizbullah might ask the Lebanese government to take similar judiciary measures like those taken in Israel against the two Israeli soldiers they captured, the spokesperson said: "Hizbullah does not operate in this way."

Lebanese State Prosecutor Said Mirza declined to comment on the issue of whether Lebanon might initiate any similar procedures.

http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1&categ_id=2&article_id=75555

[The Magistrate]

9. It Might Have Some Merit As One, Sir

Though that whole line seems fruitless to me, and my inclination would be to hold funerals in absentia for the undortunate reservists, and pay off on whatever insurance they may have held, and whatever survivor's benefits might apply.

The Israeli paper claimed a dozen prisoners, so we have a disparity similar to the claims on casualties. Hard to riddle where both sides have reason to make false claims.

[bemildred]

10. I can't say it impresses me much.

Just trying to understand what it is the "leaders" think they are doing.

[Lithos]

11. I don't see how it really benefits Israel or Olmert

First, the main point is almost like the souvenier T-shirt - the one which says "I went to Lebanon and all I got to show for it were a few Hezbollah irregulars". I really wouldn't be treating it like this. Put them off on the side for now until a prisoner exchange happens.

Second, it is an assumption until proven otherwise, that Hezbollah is considered illegitimate and terrorist based. Putting it to a trial over Lebanon is a bit risky in that it mixes many other factors in with Hezbollah - it's not clean. Other factors may come out which add some legitimacy by association to the actions of these individuals or others who were placed in similar circumstances, despite their membership in Hezbollah.

L-