Friday 20, March 2009

LOCAL EURO-MP PRAISES ISRAELI SOLDIERS FOR SPEAKING OUT

Israeli soldiers who took part in their country's 22-day military offensive in Gaza have been praised for revealing that they were ordered to kill Palestinian civilians.

Liberal Democrat Euro-MP Chris Davies, who gained access to Gaza during the shelling, says that the whistleblowers' honesty increases the chance of long term reconciliation.

Newspapers in Israel have now published accounts of the killings and of indiscriminate destruction of property in Gaza.

One soldier described how residents had been killed without warning, and said that it was understood that the lives of Palestinians were not of importance.

Davies says that accounts of war crimes had been given to him when he visited Gaza again last month, but the corroboration from Israeli soldiers was of immense importance.

"It has taken great bravery for these young solidiers to speak out against the racism within the Israeli Defence Force that led to cases of indiscriminate killing of Palestinians. It is to the credit of Israeli society that some newspapers have published their accounts.”

But the MEP said that the suffering of people in Gaza was continuing, with Israel’s economic blockade carrying on.

He said: "The TV cameras have gone away but the misery continues. Israel will not even allow nappies, baby food or paper to cross the checkpoints into Gaza.”