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Isolating Gaza is a war crime. Prosecutions are warranted. High Contracting parties are obligated to enforce binding laws. Failure means complicity.
Last May, Turkey issued arrest warrants for four former IDF officers. Named were Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi, military intelligence head Amos Yadlin, naval commander Eliezer Marom, and air force intelligence head Avishai Levi.
Charges include voluntary manslaughter, attempted voluntary manslaughter, intentional injury, incitement to assault with a deadly weapon, robbery, abduction or confiscation of maritime vessels, property damage, false arrest, and mistreatment of prisoners.
The indictment included hundreds of testimonies from Mavi Marmara passengers and relatives of those on board killed and abused.
Israeli commanders were accused of ordering the massacre. On November 5, Haaretz carried a Reuters report headlined "Turkey indicts IDF commanders over Gaza flotilla deaths."
On November 6 in Istanbul, four ex-IDF commanders went on trial in absentia for murder and related crimes. Doing so is largely symbolic. Strained Turkish/Israeli relations won't be helped.
Israel called Ankara's action a "show trial" and "political theater. A Foreign Ministry statement said proceedings have "nothing to do with either law or justice."(It doesn't) qualify under any facet or foundation of a lawful judicial system, and is merely a propaganda display. It would be in Turkey's interest to deal with this issue through bilateral dialogue."
Israel holds itself above the law. It believes it's entitled to kill, torture, abuse, intimidate, harass, and humiliate with impunity.
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