-- periodic movement of prisoners to new facilities to prevent any sense of stability;
-- repeated unannounced harsh late night raids like the October 22 one at Ketziot.
These tactics and Palestinian detainee torture and abuse are condoned "under the auspices of the Israeli law enforcement system." B'Tselem reported since 2001, Israel's State Attorney's Office got over 500 complaints of these practices but investigated none of them. Overall, instances of detainee mistreatment are rarely looked into and even fewer ever result in indictments. Further, despite its 1999 ruling, Israel's High Court of Justice (HCJ) aids ISA interrogations by refusing to accept even one of hundreds of petitions brought before it for redress. HCJ also lets ISA conceal information from detainees that abusive orders were issued against them or that legal petitions were filed on their behalf. It further allows evidence obtained under torture to be used in criminal proceedings.
B'Tselem and HaMoked are committed to ending Israel's use of torture against Palestinian detainees. They cite the example of the US Army's September, 2006 Field Manual for Human Intelligence Collector Operations as a proper guide to conducting interrogations even though authorized physical and psychological brutality became official administration policy under George Bush post-9/11. Nonetheless, this manual covers 18 interrogation methods experience showed work under varying situations and conditions. They range from establishing trust between interrogator and detainee to the use of ruses and psychological manipulation. In all cases, they don't involve torture or other unlawful practices.
It's one thing to have rules and laws and another to abide by them. The US under George Bush condones and practices "the harshest interrogation techniques ever used by the Central Intelligence Agency" according to once secret Department of Justice (DOJ) legal opinions. It's no different in Israel where the ISA systematically and routinely uses banned interrogation measures with impunity. B'Tselem and HaMoked want these practices ended and urge the Israeli government to halt them by enacting enforceable laws "strictly prohibiting torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment" in accordance with international law.
They further recommend every complaint of abuse and torture be investigated by an independent body, persons found to have broken the law to be prosecuted, and that "every detainee receives minimum humane conditions." Israel claims to be a civilized state. It's about time it acted like one.
Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.
Also visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com and listen to The Steve Lendman News and Information Hour on TheMIcroEffect.com Mondays at noon US central time.
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.
I do not understand why the United States continues to support this Terrorist State.
Here are some of the reasons why Israel should not be on the face of the Map.
1. Israel was created to pacify the Zionist Terrorist upraising against the British Mandate of Palestine.
2. The creation of Israel was rammed through the United Nations by the United States to Pacify the Zionists in the United States.
3. Israel invaded its neighbors in the Middle East and still occupies these ill-gotten gains in violation of International Law and United Nations Resolutions.
4. Israel threats the Palestine People Inhumanely
5. Israel refuses to allow the Palestine People to return to their Land, their Homes, and their Livelihood.
6. Israel has Unregulated Nuclear Weapons which should be enough to stop the United States from being a Sugar Daddy to Israel. Israel has stated that they will take on the whole world if necessary to get what it wants. Is this someone that should have Nuclear Weapons?
7. Possible Massacres by Israel have not been investigated due to a likely whitewash like the Red Cross got from the Nazis.
8. Israel kills women and children with secretly provided cluster bombs.
9. Israel assassinates leaders of other countries and people while they are in prison.
The United States must become a Nation of Laws ENFORCED equally on all people instead of being a Nation of Hypocrites.
When the Nazis Terrorists continued to violate International Law after Land was taken from Czechoslovakia and given to them, they were forced to accept unconditional surrender. Nothing less must be accepted from Israel.
by
Anton Grambihler (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 263 comments)
on Friday, November 16, 2007 at 5:24:13 AM
All you say is true and much more as the world community continues to turn a blind eye and support both Israel and the US that are criminal enterprises posing as legitimate states. One day the outrage in both countries will end, one way or another.
by
Stephen Lendman (239 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 76 comments)
on Friday, November 16, 2007 at 5:58:01 AM
