NOBEL PEACE LAUREATE, MAIREAD MAGUIRE SUPPORTS CALLS FOR INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL TRIBUNAL FOR ISRAELI WAR CRIMES.

Nobel Peace Laureate, Mairead Maguire has today written to the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon and Father Miguel D'Escoto President of United Nations General assembly adding her voice to the many calls from International Jurists, Human rights Organizations, and individuals, for the UN General Assembly To seriously consider establishing an International Criminal Tribunal for Israel (ICTI) in view of the ongoing Israeli atrocities against the people of Gaza and Palestine. An ICTI can be established by the UN General Assembly as a 'subsidiary organ' under article 22 of the UN Charter. Article 22 of the UN Charter states the UN General Assembly may establish such subsidiary organs as it deems necessary for the performance of its functions. The purpose of the ICTI would be to investigate and Prosecute suspected Israeli war criminals for offences against the Palestinian people. Maguire said: "In November 2008 I visited Gaza and was shocked at the suffering of the people of Gaza under 'siege' as they have been for over two years. This collective punishment by the Israeli Government, has lead to a great humanitarian crisis. Collective punishment of the Palestinian civilian community by the Israeli Government breaks the Geneva Convention, is illegal, is a war crime, and crime against humanity. Instead of protecting the civilian community of Gaza and relieving their suffering by lifting the 'siege', the Israeli military has carried out 10 days of consecutive bombing of civilians, by sea and air. Dropping Israeli bombs on unarmed civilians, many women and children, destroying mosques, hospitals, and homes, and devastating Gaza's infrastructure is illegal and constitutes war crimes. The deaths of the people in Gaza are now over 600, with more than 2,500 people injured – many women and children. The infrastructure of Gaza has been destroyed, and the people have been cut off from the world – including journalists, human rights advocates and humanitarian workers, all locked out of Gaza, and unable to go to the aid of the people. The UN must help uphold Human rights and justice for Palestinian people, by seriously considering establishing an International criminal tribunal for Israel, (ICTI) so that the Israeli Government be held accountable for war crimes." Mairead Maguire (Nobel Peace Laureate) www.peacepeople.com <http://www.peacepeople.com> 4th January, 2009. -- Greta Berlin Media Team Free Gaza Movement 310 422 7242 www.freegaza.org <http://www.freegaza.org> www.flickr.com/photos/29205195@N02/ <http://www.flickr.com/photos/29205195@N02/> ------------------------------------