Interview with Theodor Meron

Interestingly, Mr. Meron, the Israeli Head of the ICTFY, argued that deporting terrorists from the West Bank to face trial in Israel is the equivalent of the Nazis deporting people from conquered territories to Germany [Meron, "War Crimes Law Comes of Age: Essays", pp. 162-163], and that PLO prisoners should be recognized as P.O.W.s [pp. 181-2].

He also argued, as legal counsel to the Israeli PM, that for Jews to resettle Kfar Etzion after the 1967 Six-Days War, would be a war crime. This even though the kibbutz was originally founded in 1927 by Yemenite immigrants, abandoned in 1929 after being attacked by Arabs, resettled in 1934, abandoned in 1939 during 1936-1939 Arab revolt, and resettled in 1943. The residents voted to remain in Arab ruled territory following the UN partition plan, and were then attacked by Arab forces. In the Kfar Etzion massacre on May 14th, 1947, all but 4 of the defenders were summarily executed by Arab Legion and irregular forces.

Former residents (and their descendents) of neighbouring Jewish settlements resettled Kfar Etzion in 1967. According to Israeli law, the West Bank is not "Occupied territory", but "Disputed Territory", since the former Israeli-Jordanian border was not an international border, but only an armistice line marking the extent of Jordanian occupied Palestine from 1948-1967.

So Meron objects to Palestians facing trial in Israel, but supports ex-Yugos being tried in Holland. And he argues that Jews returning to settlements in disputed territory is a war crime, but has no objection to Croatian settlements in Krajina, Bosnian-Croation settlements in former Serb territory in Bosnia, and Albanian settlement in formerly Serb territory in Kosovo.

Is there a greater hypocrite sitting on that "kangaroo court?

Interestingly, Mr. Meron, the Israeli Head of the ICTFY, argued that deporting terrorists from the West Bank to face trial in Israel is the equivalent of the Nazis deporting people from conquered territories to Germany [Meron, "War Crimes Law Comes of Age: Essays", pp. 162-163], and that PLO prisoners should be recognized as P.O.W.s [pp. 181-2].

He also argued, as legal counsel to the Israeli PM, that for Jews to resettle Kfar Etzion after the 1967 Six-Days War, would be a war crime. This even though the kibbutz was originally founded in 1927 by Yemenite immigrants, abandoned in 1929 after being attacked by Arabs, resettled in 1934, abandoned in 1939 during 1936-1939 Arab revolt, and resettled in 1943. The residents voted to remain in Arab ruled territory following the UN partition plan, and were then attacked by Arab forces. In the Kfar Etzion massacre on May 14th, 1947, all but 4 of the defenders were summarily executed by Arab Legion and irregular forces.

Former residents (and their descendents) of neighbouring Jewish settlements resettled Kfar Etzion in 1967. According to Israeli law, the West Bank is not "Occupied territory", but "Disputed Territory", since the former Israeli-Jordanian border was not an international border, but only an armistice line marking the extent of Jordanian occupied Palestine from 1948-1967.

So Meron objects to Palestians facing trial in Israel, but supports ex-Yugos being tried in Holland. And he argues that Jews returning to settlements in disputed territory is a war crime, but has no objection to Croatian settlements in Krajina, Bosnian-Croation settlements in former Serb territory in Bosnia, and Albanian settlement in formerly Serb territory in Kosovo.

Is there a greater hypocrite sitting on that "kangaroo court?