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Deputy Knesset Speaker MK Mohammad Barakeh (Hadash) volunteered to testify at the International Court of Justice's debate on the security fence.
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| By Ellis Shuman January 14, 2004 |
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MK Mohammad Barakeh (Hadash), who serves as deputy speaker of the Knesset, volunteered to testify before the International Court of Justice in The Hague when it begins its hearing next month on Israel's construction of the security fence.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is due to convene on February 23 following the UN General Assembly decision last month to ask the ICJ to rule on the "legal implications of the construction of a wall on conquered Palestinian land." Israeli officials are working under the assumption that the non-binding court decision will be hostile to Israel, and are preparing a legal, diplomatic and public relations campaign to prove that the ICJ has no authority to reach a decision on the fence, Haaretz reported.
In an unprecedented move, Barakeh wrote to the ICJ and volunteered to testify against the "war crimes Israel is perpetrating" against the Palestinian people by its construction of a "separation wall." Maariv reported.
"At this time, the separation policies and the caging of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in ghettoes is reaching a climax with the construction of the separation wall on the occupied land of the Palestinian people," Barakeh wrote, on official Knesset stationery.
"With the fence, Israel is preventing basic services from the Palestinians including access to hospitals and schools, and is expropriating tens of thousands of dunams of land, uprooting thousands of olive trees, and destroying wells used for drinking water and agriculture," Barakeh wrote.
"The goal of this plan is to give security to the citizens of Israel while making the lives of Palestinians miserable with the hope that they will move eastwards. This is a policy of creeping transfer. I will be happy to serve the court, to present it with evidence of the wall plan and its goals and to supply any other relevant information," Barakeh concluded.
Barakeh's offer to testify is not relevant at this stage, Maariv reported. In its initial sessions, the ICJ will only be reviewing documents presented by the two sides.
Deputy Defense Minister Ze'ev Boim (Likud) said in response to Barakeh's letter that he would call on the Attorney General to remove Barakeh's immunity so that he can be charged with treason against the State of Israel. "Barakeh is testifying that he is a supporter of terror, and cooperating with the enemy," Boim said.
MK Michael Eitan (Likud), chairman of the Knesset's Constitution Committee, said Barakeh should be impeached from his position as deputy speaker of the parliament. "His willingness to serve the enemy, while using official State of Israel symbols and his position as deputy speaker of the Knesset, constitutes spitting in the Knesset and Israel's face," Eitan said.
Barakeh's letter was also criticized by left-wing politicians. "Despite my objections to the fence's route, the proceedings at the international court cross a red line," said MK Avshalom Vilan (Meretz). "This leaves a bad taste in the mouth, and I don't accept it at all."
Public relations campaign planned
There is growing concern in Israel that the Palestinians are planning an "ambush" at the international court proceedings, Yediot Aharonot reported yesterday. The Palestinians are spending millions in efforts to bring witnesses and legal experts to The Hague in order to "embarrass" Israel, and divert the court's attention to the suffering of the Palestinian people, the paper said.
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is due to convene an inter-ministerial steering committee meeting tonight to decide on Israel's public relations and legal campaign, Army Radio reported today. Participating in the meeting will be representatives of the justice, foreign and defense ministries, the IDF and the Shin Bet security service. One of the decisions expected to be made is the hiring of private public relations firms in both Europe and the United States to promote Israel's side of the security fence issue, the radio said.
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