War crimes: Moshe "Boogi" Ya'alon & Khmer Rouge

First up on the international front: the first trial for Khmer Rouge war criminals has just started, 30 years after the end of the brutal regime. Many young Cambodians are apathetic and not interested, reports the NYTimes.

Now for local news: the Israeli national elections were over a week ago, and there is no Prime Minister or government, or anything clear. Recently released--if Bibi Netanyahu becomes the next Prime Minister, he will most likely appoint Boogi Ya'alon to be the Defense Minister.

This is the worst news I've heard in a LONG time.

Ya'alon is accused of war crimes. Wikipedia reports, "An Auckland District Court judge issued a warrant for his arrest for alleged war crimes arising from his role in the 2002 assassination of Hamas leader Salah Shahade in Gaza City, in which at least 14 Palestinian civilians were killed, saying that New Zealand had an obligation to uphold the Geneva Convention." Eventually the warrant was dropped.

Targeted killings is a complicated issue all based in the 4th Geneva Convention. "Israel's policy of targeted killings raises serious questions of international law, but the answers are not obvious. Although many observers view the policy as contravening international law, there is a substantial amount of uncertainty regarding the application of the relevant law to the situation at hand. Thus, good faith analysis could lead to starkly different conclusions on the legality of any such policy."

Also shocking, tragic, and unreal-a comment that Ya'alon has been rumored to have made: "The Palestinians must be made to understand in the deepest recesses of their consciousness that they are a defeated people."

This man should never be in a position of power.

The NY times later said this quote is unverifiable, although many Israelis who heard the original interview are familiar with it. Commentary magazine provides another interpretation, acknowledging that Ya'alon said something similar. (And we all know where Commentary's loyalties lie).

AND just for good measure-Ya'alon doesn't travel to the UK for fear of arrest, as would have happened to Almog, had Israeli diplomats not warned him. Reported here.

My first Israeli National Elections--Does it make any sense?

today i voted in the israeli national elections--my first time. it's a really intense, crazy situation here. here's a few of my observations and comments, but it's VERY difficult to sum up.

i voted for meretz. More on them, here. Notable--they are pushing a bill to give settlers compensation if they leave the Occupied Territories.

the voting places were nearly empty. i didn't wait at all. i came with the card i received in the mail + my ID card, and i was handed an envelope. you then go behind a big blue piece of cardboard, where there are 30+ different little pieces of paper with the initials of the party, plus the name written out smaller. then, you choose the piece of paper you want, put in envelope, seal, and then place in a big, locked cardboard box. and that's it. has anything changed in 60 years here? at least-no hanging chads!


there are 33 parties running, from:
- the arab party balad that was disqualified one month ago.
-yisrael beytenu with its #1 on the list a russian immigrant-avigdor liberman- calling for arabs to sign loyalty oaths
- meretz, a party pushing for ending the occupation and social justice
- the traditional big parties, including likud with bibi (who will probably win)
- kadimah which was started by sharon in late 2005, who is now in a coma, and led by tzipi livni, who says we need to remove all settlements,
- ehud barak who just was defense minister and led the useless, atrocious war in Gaza.

many Israelis didn't know who they were voting for up until they arrived to the booth.

many Israelis say--it doesnt really matter what party you choose, it's all the same hara (shit).

is there really a left? great article:
http://haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1062798.html

baruch marzel, extreme right wing settler, wanted to surpervise elections in Uhm al-Faham, Arab-Israeli city in the North. there was an attempt by Israeli's Attorney General not to allow him to enter the city, then the Supreme Court said he should be allowed, and then the head of the Police removed someone else from his far-right party from entering city. There were riots and other unpleasant experieces.



i can go on and on with the various stories and experiences of the eleections. it will be intersting to wake up tomorrow to a new reality.