By Dr Shahid Qureshi, The London Post
30 Jan, 2009
It is reported that (IDF) Israeli Defense Forces soldiers from Europeans, US and other nationalities might be returning back to their countries after taking part in the Gaza War and might have committed war crimes. It is responsibility of the countries to make sure to prosecute their citizens who were involved in war crimes under international law and conventions.
“As Israel's anti-terror operation entered its twelfth day yesterday, a British IDF soldier who was injured by gunfire in Gaza spoke exclusively to the Jewish News from his hospital bed about his efforts to avoid civilian casualties while the bloody battles are being fought. Avi Cohen was shot by a Hamas terrorist early on Monday morning, two days after he led his paratrooper unit of 20 soldiers into battle. The 23-year-old - whose grandfather was the late Rabbi Cyril Shine of the Central Synagogue, Great Portland Street (London) - said he had been in fierce gun fights with
Hamas throughout the days he was in the Gaza Strip, and at all times did his best to make sure it was the terrorists and not local people who got hurt. "But unfortunately it's a war and there are casualties on both sides. It is very hard; we didn't come here for that," Cohen said reported ‘Jewish News’ 8th January 2009. Earlier a British born Major of the IDF was killed in Lebanon war with Hezbollah in 2006.
It is illegal under the Foreign Enlistment Act 1870 (c.90) for a British Citizen to serve in the armed forces of another country
British Member of House of Lords, Lord Ahmed asked a question in the upper house of the parliament on 26th January 2009,“Whether any British citizens are serving in the Israeli Defence Force or the Israeli Defence Reserves”?
In response to that Lord Malloch – Brown, Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office responded, “other than press reports, the UK Government do not possess information about whom the Israeli Government have called up to serve in the Israel Defence Forces or the Israeli Defence Reserves, including any dual nationals. Only the Israeli Government would have this information. He further stated, “Anybody who has broken the fourth protocol of the Geneva Convention deserves to meet justice in some court or another”.
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