BY ERDAL SAFAK
SABAH - Today I will write about the Russell Court, an endeavor to serve as humanity's conscience spearheaded by British philosopher, mathematician and politician Bertrand Russell.
The Russell Court was established in 1966 to probe US war crimes in Vietnam. Now there will be a Russell Court on the Palestine issue, set to convene early next month. Its jury is full of lawyers and champions of human rights: Mairead Corrigan Maguire (1976 Nobel Peace Prize Winner, Northern Ireland), Juan Tapia Guzman (judge, Chile), Gisele Halimi (lawyer and author, France), Cynthia McKinney (politician, US), Michael Mansfield (lawyer, England), Jose Antonio Martin Pallin (Supreme Court Justice, Spain), Ronnie Kasrils (author, South Africa), Aminata Traore (politician and author, Mali), and Alberto San Juan (actor, Spain).
So what will the court investigate?
It will definitely probe Israeli violations of Palestinians' rights and freedoms. Israel's brutal two-week operation in Gaza in late 2008 / early 2009 and definitely war and even 'crimes against humanity' committed by Israel will be investigated by the court. But this isn't all. Indeed, Israel isn't the only 'defendant.' Those who allow Israel to carry out its policies, and who condone and keep silent, will be judged as well.
Six questions for Europeans have been already prepared:
Did they fulfill their responsibilities to help implement the Palestinian people's right to self-determination?
Did they fulfill their responsibilities under international law with regard to the Gaza operation and the embargo on Gaza?
Did they make any attempt to prevent Israel from depredating natural resources on Palestinian territories and establishing Jewish settlements in Palestine?
Did they use their authority to ensure respect for principles of international law which say territories can't be occupied by force, and to put an end to Israel's annexation of East Jerusalem?
Did they do anything to halt Israel building a wall on Palestine territories?
Did they provide respect for both international and European law in line with deals signed between the European Union and Israel?
The answers to these six questions are quite clear: Absolutely not!
The people behind this new Russell Court for Palestine known well that its 'trial' in Barcelona has no legal force. What they aim is to prick the world's conscience over the culprits of the Palestine tragedy as well as their active or passive supporters.
Keep your eyes on Barcelona starting next week.