August 28, 2008 at 05:16:15

Torture As Official Israeli Policy

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By Stephen Lendman (about the author) Page 12 of 14 page(s)

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Overall, challenges to ending torture are formidable and numerous. In dealing with Israel, "there is never a good moment to raise human rights questions (and) always a reason for not doing something...." But UAT is forthright: despite Middle East tensions, political reality, and complexity of tough issues, no excuses justify EU member states for not "strongly and consistently promot(ing) full compliance with basic and absolute legal obligations to protect individuals' most fundamental rights." Action must overcome challenges on issues like these:

-- Israel's "extreme sensitivity" to criticism of its human rights record;

-- its security argument and state of war to justify abuses and disdain for international law;

-- its lack of political will to end 41 years of occupation;

-- its lack of accountability on issues of "necessity," including sanctioning torture and abuse;

-- its abusive detention conditions, including;

(1) denying Palestinians access to legal counsel during interrogations;

(2) interrogation methods used;

(3) overall policy brutality, including torture and abuse;

(4) horrific prison conditions;

(5) inadequate medical care and unseemly role of doctors during interrogations; and

(6) highly restrictive prison visitation rules. Also:

-- limited contact between NGOs and the Israeli government and practically no chance to exert influence;

-- the EU's lack of political will to "interfere" in Israeli "affairs;" member states have practically given up because "it is not worth having a fight with Israel;"

-- EU-Israeli economic ties relegate human rights issues to second tier status; and

-- mistaken EU Middle East policy allied with America instead of forging an independent one.

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I am a 72 year old, retired, progressive small businessman concerned about all the major national and world issues, committed to speak out and write about them.

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