All:
I recently received from Gush Shalom an update regarding the currentWar CrimeScandal attached below. In it were a number of references to the handling of thismatter by the media, in particular, the following quoted lines:” Allthe TV and radio stations and the two major newspapers ignored theconference “
” Haaretzhad published on its front-page a.hair-raising sensation: GushShalom has threatened officers: We.collect material against you for TheHague.
” commentatorsstarted a lynch.campaign. Expressions like ‘traitors’,.’informers’,’Capo’ (the Jewish camp police, which served the Nazis in the concentrationcamps),.’Judenrat’ (the Jewish committees appointed by the Nazis inthe.ghettos) were freely bandied about.
More recently I received an annotated copy of an article that appeared.in Ben Kaspit’scolumn of political commentary in the weekend supplement of Ma’ariv. This materialreflects not only a serious failure of Israeli media to live up to it’s responsibilities toimpartially and accurately inform a democratic society but also an engagement inirresponsible, propagandist distortion of the situation. The matter of war crimescommitted by Israeli soldiers is a very serious one that will have repercussions formany years to come. Gush Shalom has performed an important moral duty first intaking action to warn soldiers of their legal responsibilities and second in openlyundertaking to monitor and report such crimes. These are crimes against humanityand the world is watching.
Already, the behaviour of the state of Israel under the Prime Ministership of ArielSharon has earned the disgust and moral disdain of the non-American aligned world (ieother than Israel and Tony Blair). Israel is the occupier of Palestinian lands; theimperialist and the oppressor. Terrorism is the harvest of immoral seeds you havesown. As one individual who would like to see Israeli and Palestinian statesrecognised and living in peace and harmony, who would like to see war criminalspursued relentlessly and brought to justice, I say to you that it is time to remember
your responsibilities to inform and promote discussion of these actions taken by GushShalom in a mature and objective manner.
Yours Sincerely,
Allen L. Jasson (Melbourne, Australia)