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Britain Is Letting Hamas Weaponize International Law

(Telegraph-UK) Natasha Hausdorff - British Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron's latest demands of Israel reveal a concerning detachment from reality. The allegation that Israel is stopping food from entering is false. The sole purpose of the Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) IDF unit is to organize humanitarian provision for Palestinian civilians; it provides constant updates on aid entering Gaza. The IDF's capacity to inspect aid trucks far exceeds current international provision. On Sunday, 142 aid trucks were still waiting to be picked up by the UN on the Gazan side of Kerem Shalom crossing. The repeated calls for Israel to "turn the water back on" are also dishonest, as Israel is not withholding water. When the facts are so readily available, those perpetuating these falsehoods are partaking in a malicious smear campaign. The failure to call out Hamas for stealing humanitarian aid, and acknowledge that the impasse lies with distribution rather than with access, plays into the terrorists' hands. The failure of Lord Cameron to call upon Egypt to comply with its international law obligations is also unforgivable. Egypt acceded in 1980 to the 1969 African Union Refugee Convention, which requires it to use its "best endeavors" to receive refugees fleeing "civil disorder." Egypt has an obligation to every Palestinian civilian presenting themselves on the Egyptian border. Egypt's failure to adhere to its obligations under the Convention is the real breach of international law. Has Lord Cameron demanded that the International Committee of the Red Cross access the Israeli hostages in Hamas captivity for 169 days? No. He has, however, demanded that the Red Cross be admitted to visit terrorist detainees, including those who committed atrocities on Oct. 7, a demand that has no basis in international law. Having engaged in armed conflict in violation of the laws of war, Hamas terrorists are not protected by the Geneva Conventions and there is therefore no mandated access to terrorists in detention. Tarnishing Israel with the stigma of being a human rights offender when the opposite is true is a malevolent attempt at character assassination. The Foreign Secretary's echoing of Hamas propaganda perpetuates the war by encouraging Hamas to keep fighting in the hope that mounting international pressure will hand the terrorists a victory. The writer, a barrister, is legal director at UK Lawyers for Israel Charitable Trust.
2024-03-27 00:00:00
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